Fresno State Football Blog

Fresno State at Rutgers- Position, Individual and Unit Comparisons

2008-08-31T02:40:00.000-07:00

It's a brand new season, so all stats are for last year. This is the first meeting between the two teams, and it is the furthest the Bulldogs have ever travelled. Rutgers is coming off a 8-5 season, with losses at home to Maryland, #20 Cincinnati, #6 West Virginia, and at Louisville and #16 Connecticut, and beat South Florida when they were ranked #2 in the country. They are coming off a 52-30 win over Ball State in the International Bowl. The bulldogs return much of a team that went 9-4 with wins over Kansas State and Georgia Tech.

Quarterbacks- Rutgers returns senior quarterback Mike Teel, who is coming off an impressive year having completed 203 of 349 attempts for a 58.2 percentage. He threw for 3,147 yards and 20 touchdowns. He is not much of a duel threat, however, having netted -49 yards rushing last season. He passed for 9 yards per attempt for a 145.4 passing efficiency, 2nd for returning QBs in the Big East. Fresno State's senior QB Tom Brandstater went 211 of 337 for a 62.6 percentage, throwing for 2654 yards and 15 touchdowns. He is more of a threat outside of the pocket, netting 118 yards rushing with 3TDs and averaging 2.5 yards per carry. He is 2nd in passing efficiency for returning WAC quarterbacks with 7.9 yards per attempt and an efficiency of 150.8.
Advantage- Even, though slightly in Fresno State's favor because of Brandstater's scramble and slightly better percentages. Teel was injured late last season to his thumb, which negatively impacted his numbers, but both are of similar size and ability at around 6-4 220. Unfortunately for Brandstater, last year's Rutgers team was the 2nd most tenacious passing D in the nation, giving up only 1927 yards in the air. Fresno State was a more middling 60th in this category. The Bulldogs' improved D-line should prove important to pressuring Teel, whose mobility is a question mark for the Knights. Both QB's are also likely to bring a senior-year, multiple-year starter maturity to the position which should make the game interesting.

Running Backs- This unit is going to be interesting for Rutgers, as it was lead by school- and Big East- record holder Ray Rice, whose 2012 yards and 24 TD's last year will be sorely missed by the Scarlet Knights, whose leading returning rusher is backup QB Jabu Lovelace with 332 yards and 4TDs. Mason Robinson, as sophomore, is the starter who produced only 202 yards and no TDs last year behind Rice. Along with Robinson, Kordell Young went for 58 yards last year and will return. Fresno State returns multiple options in Ryan Mathews, Lonyae Miller, and Anthony Harding, all of whom rushed for over 400 yards last year with Mathews leading the pack with 866 yards and 14 TD's despite limited playing time. The unit was 19th in the country last year with 2493 total rushing yards, and loses only Clifton Smith form last year's team.
Advantage- Even without Clifton Smith's 625 yards and 5 TDs, the Fresno State running attack should be much stronger than the Scarlet Knight's with the loss of so important an element a Ray Rice, though one hastens to discount his backups of previous years on mere stats alone. That said, Fresno State has multiple options and an scheme with multiple sets, giving the running game more depth and complexity. Both rush defenses were in the bottom half of running yards allowed in the NCAA last season, meaning a strong ruining game from Fresno State provides a solid advantage for the Bulldogs.

Receivers/ Tight Ends – Both teams have important returnees in this unit, with Rutgers returning Kenny Britt, Tiquan Underwood, Tim Brown, and Kevin Brock, their four leading receivers, all returning. Britt lead the team last year with 1232 yards on 62 catches averaging 19.9 yards per catch and 8 TD's, followed by Underwood with 1100 yards off of 65 receptions for a 16.9 average and 7 TD's. Brown and Brock round out the receiving corp with 340 and 241 yards, respectively, and 2 touchdowns apiece. Fresno, too returns its top receivers in Marlon Moore, Bear Pascoe, and Seyi Ajirotutu. Moore went for 694 yards of 48 receptions with 5 trip to the end zone, while TE Bear Pascoe caught 45 catches for 553 yards and 4 TD's. Ajirotuto rounded out the top three with 29 catches for 491 yards. Also contributing were Jason Crawley, Isaac Kitner, Tim Lang and Jamel Hamler with 199, 111, 82, and 8 yards between them, respectively. Chastin West, lost at the end of last August, also returns for the Bulldogs. Last year Rutgers' receiving unit was 39th in the nation in total receiving yards with 3267 and 273 yards per game, compared with Fresno State at number 69 with 2760 and 230 yards per game.
Advantage – Even, veering slightly toward Rutgers. Both are likely to be the best receiving corps either team will have seen for some time, and will be among the top of their conferences and in the upper echelons of I-A football. While Rutgers' unit outproduced the Bulldogs by 500 total yards last season, Fresno State does return West who is likely to make up for the difference and this should make an impact. The major note of concern is noted above in the QB section- Rutgers' pass D is the 2nd best in the nation in terms of fewest yards allowed, meaning the Bulldogs' receivers will face a difficult challenge.

Defenses- This can be something of an area of concern for the Bulldogs. I have talked briefly already about the defenses for both sides, but a more detailed examination of each is revealing. Rutgers was 31st in the nation last year in fewest points allowed per game, giving up only 21.8; Fresno State was 62nd overall, giving up 26.9 points per game. Rutgers' pass D is the most troubling area of concern, giving up only 1927 passing yards, 2nd best in the nation after Ohio State. Fresno State is 60th nationwide in this category, having given up 2725 yards in the air. Neither team is in the upper half of rushing D, though Rutgers does also lead in that category in ruining yards allowed, 1871 to Fresno State's 2193. Free Safety Courtney Greene lead the Knights in tackles last year with 101 and returns, along with defensive tackle Jamaal Westerman who recorded 8 sacks and 6 tackles for a loss. CB Jason McCourty also blocked 12 punts for Rutgers last season. Fresno State loses a 132 tackler in Marcus Riley, and returns Ben Jacobs who recorded 81 tackles last season. Jon Monga was credited with 6.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss last year for the 'Dogs.
Advantage- Rutgers. Both teams are very similar in most categories, but Rutgers is exceptional in its ability to stop the pass, and the Bulldogs lose some important components in Marcus Riley, Tyler Clutts, and Damon Jenkins for our defense. Rutgers looks to continue it's solid pass D as they return 7 from their backfield which will be a major issue for the Bulldogs if the running game is unable to make up for the difference.

Special Teams- Fresno State returns AJ Jefferson who lead the nation in kick returns with 930 yards and a 35.8 yard per return average, which compares favorably with Rutgers' Tim Brown and Mason Robinson, a tandem who averaged 20.7 and 19.6, respectively, last season. Both teams face major losses to their kickers, as the Bulldogs lose Clint Stitser and the Knights lose Jeremy Ito, both of whom had a huge impact for this unit and it will be difficult for either team to replace their production. Rutgers also loses their special teams coach Darren Rizzi, who has become the head coach at Rhode Island. The Bulldogs also lose punter Kyle Zimmerman and punt returner Clifton Smith to graduation, and both are important losses.
Advantage- Toss-up. Both teams are pretty much gutted. the Bulldogs look to start Kevin Goessling as kicker and Robert Malone as punter, both underclassmen. Rutgers looks to do no better starting San San Te at kicker and Teddy Dellaganna, also two underclassmen. The one obvious advantage for the Bulldogs is the return of AJ Jefferson, who lead the nation in kick return average and should be in good form to do so again this season. I will note that, in watching game tape from both teams, both head coaches seem to enjoy trickery from special teams. I give two examples: in 2004, at home against Hawai'i in what would be a 70-14 rout, Pat Hill had just scored the 2nd TD of the 1st quarter when he lined up to return the ball, only to fake an onside kick which was recovered by the Bulldogs. For Rutgers, in last year's win over USF, the Knights missed a third down conversion and were forced to give the ball over, and lined up to kick it to the Bulls at the far end. Jeremy Ito took the snap and, instead of kicking it away, passed it to a receiver to secure the first down and continue the drive. My point is both teams will utilize such methods and I would look out for them to come very early in the game.

Coaches- Fresno State’s Pat Hill is 85-55 (.607) coming into Monday’s game. He’s 60-27 against the WAC, and 30-39 away from Bulldog Stadium. Rutgers' Greg Schiano is 38-46 (.428) with a home record of 23-22, and is 2-15 against teams in the top 25, which Fresno State is for the Coaches' Poll, but not the AP.
Advantage- Fresno State’s Pat Hill is willing to take on anyone, anytime, anywhere, and will have his team more than ready for the cross-country game in Rutgers Stadium in front of 43,000 (just 1,969 more than Bulldog Stadium, so a similar environment in that respect- even the same colors!). Greg Schiano has turned around a program that was close to sharing Temple's fate of being kicked out of the Big East and looking for friendlier digs in the MAC. Schiano ensured that would not happen and through a combination of smart recruiting in Florida, a connection with the populated NY/NJ corridor, and and AD willing to stick with a guy after a 1-11 season, and has proven to be one of the best coaches of the decade. And, he's got the balls to take on the Bulldogs, which about 60-odd other BCS schools can't say, even ones with coaches that used to play and coach here... I'm going with another toss-up in this category as well, both men are solid coaches on and off the field.

“Taste of the Town”- It’s California vs. New York, East Coast vs. West Coast, BCS vs. Mid Major... Now, I've got to admit a West Coast Bias. Always had one. But I finally moved to the East Coast (Boston) and found the place to be pretty all-right. New York is an amazing place, with amazing food, lights, and all the rest. But, New Brunswick/ Piscataway isn't quite the same as Manhattan. But it is close enough.
Advantage- Fresno. West Coast Bias. But, if you've never been to Manhattan, you are missing out.

Conclusion- This is going to be an amazing game. The two teams are surprisingly evenly matched in each position, with similar quarterbacks, wide receivers, defenses, and losses on (and tricks by) the special teams. Two places they radically differentiate- Rutgers lost their super-star running back, while Fresno returns multiple options; and Rutgers returns virtually all what is statistically next to the best pass defense in the nation. The Bulldogs will likely exploit the advantage on the ground and keep the maturing Kight running game in check. However, Rutgers' passing attack should be an interesting test for going into the much more pass-happy offenses to be faced later in the season. Fresno State and Rutgers are an interesting statistical match-up, though I think the running game of the Bulldogs will be the decisive factor in a Bulldog victory, so long as the team can focus after the long travel and change in atmosphere. I also forecast special teams to play a major role and hope that it is a role in our favor, as we have seen costly special teams mistakes take a toll in the past. Still, my call is: Bulldogs 32 - Scarlet Knights 27

The 2008 Fresno State Bulldogs Offense

2008-08-06T22:26:00.000-07:00

Fresno State fans to this point have addressed their worries as to how the Bulldogs are going to be able to stop opposing team’s offenses. While our front line on defense should be strong the best answer as to how the Bulldogs will stop the other team’s offense is through the use of our own. I realize this may sound confusing but sometime’s a team’s best defense is their offense when it comes to college football. The longer Brandstater and company are on the football field the better. If the Bulldogs can find a way to put together long drives that eat up time off the clock look for the defense to be energized each time they step onto the football field. Here is a review of those offensive players who will do their best to make the defense’s job that much easier.

At QB Tom Brandstater will take the reigns for his senior season. The offense will only go as far as Brandstater directs them to. While the running game is a huge part of the Fresno State offense the Bulldogs will need Brandstater to come through when the running game is not churning out yard after yard. Chances are that the Bulldogs will have to rely on Brandstater at least once this season. In 2007 when the Dogs had to turn to Brandstater he came through nearly every time. If the Bulldogs can get similar stats from Brandstater look for them to make noise on the BCS front this season.

The RB situation is one that is usually positive for the Bulldogs. 2008 will be no different due to the fact that Fresno State returns Ryan Mathews, Lonyae Miller, and Anthony Harding. All look to be in outstanding physical shape and have a healthy level of competition between one another. With the offensive line opening holes for the Bulldog running backs look for one of these backs to break the 1,000 yard barrier this season. At the same time one cannot forget that A.J. Ellis and Rashad Evans will be used in the Fresno State offense as well. Each of these players brings a different aspect of explosiveness to the field which will allow the Dogs many more options on offense. While the situation at QB and RB seems positive they in no way compare to what the Bulldogs have returning at wide receiver and Tight End.

The Wide Receivers may be the position with the most talent for this 2008 Bulldog football team. With returning receivers such as Marlon Moore, Seyi Ajirotutu (who looks to have enhanced his game since last season), Jason Crawley, Devon Wylie, Matt Lindsay, Darren Newborne, and Chastin West the Bulldogs look to have the height (Ajirotutu, Lindsay), speed (Moore, Wylie) and physical nature (Crawley, Moore) to dominate the outside of the field. Add in the fact that Bear Pascoe is next to impossible to cover and you have a Fresno State offense that is going to score early and often. In 2006 the Bulldogs averaged 23 points per game on offense. In 2007 the Bulldogs improved their offense to the tune of 33 points a game. If Fresno State can improve slightly in 2008 they will average anywhere between 35-40 points per game. If Fresno State can find a way to put that many points on the board every week opposing teams will have a hard time keeping up with this high octane offense. This very well may be one of the best offenses the Bulldogs have ever fielded. Unfortunately we will have to wait 26 more days until we know if this offense is truly as good as they look to be.

Will Fresno State be Defensively Challenged in 08?

2008-08-05T21:50:00.000-07:00

Throughout the summer fans of Fresno State continued to realize that 2008 may be a special year not only for the players but for the fans of the Fresno State Bulldogs. With 16 returning starters Fresno State has the experience to make a serious run at the BCS. The offense will be explosive in 2008 as every starter returns aside Ryan Wendell. Replacing Wendell will be tough but Fresno State has always been known for its outstanding offensive line and 2008 should be no different. While the offensive side of the ball looks great the defensive side is left with nothing but questions. Can Fresno State replace WAC defensive player of the year Marcus Riley? Will Fresno State be able to create more takeaways en route to one win after another? Will the defensive line have enough depth to cause problems for opposing team’s offenses? The problem is there is no sure answer to any of these questions. I will do my best to answer each of these questions as I sat through practice today and have a bit better idea as to how good our defense truly will be.

To begin let’s address the defensive line. Fresno State finished second in the WAC with 36 sacks this past season. Look for that total to increase this season. Ikenna Ike and Wilson Ramos are going to give offensive lineman fits as defensive ends. Cornell Banks has both the speed and side to put pressure on the offensive backfield. Chris Lewis will do a great job coming in with the second team to provide pressure from the defensive end position. Bryce Harris looks to be a mountain of a man and should do well with the second team as well. Chase McEntee and Anthony Williams (who looks gigantic) will come in and provide depth right from day one. With all of this talent there should be no worries as to how much pressure our defensive line will cause. If you noticed I haven’t even mentioned the one player that I feel will cause the most havoc on the defensive line: Jon Monga. Monga will be the leader of this defensive line. Look for Monga to have an outstanding season as both a run stopper and momentum killer as well. I realize that many of you worry that our LB’s are going to have a problem stopping the run due to the loss of Marcus Riley. Let’s see how the LB’s break down this season.

Our top three linebackers will be Ben Jacobs, Nico Herron, and more than likely Chris Carter (who has not played the position in two years). Quaadir Brown will be at fall camp but he may not be able to go due to personal issues. We can only hope that Brown finds his way back to football because he is definitely needed on defense. With that being said our first team LB’s are solid. Carter may be stepping into the LB role again but do remember that was his position in high school. He will adapt to the LB role much faster than any other newcomer may have. Damion Whittington will be in fall camp this week providing much needed depth. Kyle Knox, Austin Raphael, and Sean Plummer will provide depth at this position as well. LB is definitely the weakest of any area for the Bulldogs. On the positive side the secondary will be deep and provide the LB’s with the help they need to get through the season.

The secondary will have little problems improving on their paltry takeaway totals from 2007. With A.J. Jefferson, Damion Owens, and Sharrod Davis at corner the Bulldogs should be able to cover man to man and press often. Marvin Haynes and Moses Harris will provide safety help as they have the ability to run with anyone in the nation. Backing up Harris and Haynes will be Zak Hill and Jake Jorde. Both of these men also have the ability to lock down the secondary with their cover skills. It will be because of the secondary that this defense is able to gamble and blitz much more this season than ever before. Look for the Bulldogs secondary to go to press coverage in order to give the safeties and corners time to blitz the QB. If the defensive front four combined with one or two CB’s or safeties blitz there will be very few teams who can stop Fresno State.

The Bulldogs defense is not nearly as worrisome as many have made them out to be. The first and second teams are strong and have the experience to make plays. Fresno State’s offense will provide the defense a large margin for error as the offense should average anywhere between 35-42 points per game. Fresno State’s defense will be fine and they will find a way to hold the other team just enough to give the offense a chance to win every game on the schedule.

What to Expect in 2008

2008-06-11T23:21:00.000-07:00

This past week the Fresno State football players began eight weeks of individual practices in which coaches will not be present. During individual workouts QB’s and Receivers work on their timing and route running in order to prepare for the 2008 football season. These eight weeks have become far more important to the Bulldogs than they have to most other teams as Fresno State generally opens with a murderous schedule. In 2008 the Bulldogs season begins as follows:

Sept. 1st - @ Rutgers
Sept. 13th – Wisconsin
Sept. 20th - @ Toledo
Sept. 27th - @ UCLA

Once again Fresno State will have their work cut out for them in September as the Dogs opening month is one of the more challenging in the nation. If Fresno State can find a way to run off victories in each of the above mentioned games they will more than likely be ranked somewhere in the middle of the top twenty-five. In order to accomplish such a feat Fresno State will have to get the most out of their practices up until their first game of the season at Rutgers. The past few seasons Fresno State fans have had high expectations for the football program run by Pat Hill. But in 2008 should Bulldog fans once again expect the Dogs to make some noise nationally before WAC plays begins? The simple answer is absolutely.

Fresno State returns a majority of their offensive starter’s aside Clifton Smith and Ryan Wendell who both have moved on to the NFL. However, Bear Pascoe returns. Tom Brandstater returns. Ryan Mathews returns as does Marlon Moore, Chastin West, Seyi Ajirotutu, Devin Wylie, Jamal Hamler, Lonyae Miller, Anthony Harding the entire offensive line (if healthy), and newcomers such as Rashad Evans, A.J. Ellis, and Ebahn Feathers. This quite possibly has the making to be one of the most explosive units in Fresno State history. If the Bulldog’s offense can continue to gel together as we have seen during spring ball look for the offense to average well over thirty points a game. Last season J-Mac’s offense averaged 33 points a game. If this returning unit can punch one more TD in per game you will be looking at a team that averages forty points a game. If that is the case this will be a very hard Bulldogs team to beat. While the offense looks to be in great shape what can expect from our defense early on in 2008?

Defensively our first team defensive line will create havoc for most opposing teams. Players such as Jon Monga, Chris Carter, Wilson Ramos, and Cornell Banks will all demand attention on the defensive line. The Bulldogs secondary will be experienced with Moses Harris and Marvin Haynes at safety. One corner spot will be occupied by the speedy A.J. Jefferson who may be ready to depart for the NFL at season’s end. The other corner spot is up for grabs but players such as Sharrod Davis and Damion Owens should fill the voice left by Damon Jenkins who also made the jump to the NFL. The one position defensively Bulldog fans should worry about is Linebacker. Although Ben Jacobs, Nico Herron, and Quaadir Brown look to be a solid unit there is very little depth with respect to the unit. Fresno State will have two additions to help bolster the LB core in Damion Whittington and Ricky Pemasa, but both of these players will be coming in as freshman. If the starters do not do their job on defense then the Dogs will give up large amounts of yards and will be involved in games where scoring is happening far more than we as Bulldog fans would like it to be.

Fresno State’s special teams units look to be solid although the Dogs will be starting two kickers with relatively little experience. Robert Malone will take over punting duties. If he continues to punt the way he has in Spring ball Fresno State will have very little to worry about. At the same time Kevin Goessling will take over for Clint Stitser as the placekicker. Goessling has an accurate leg and should be expected to get the job done from forty yards and in. However, if the Dogs have to venture past forty yards this freshman will have his work cut out for him. Kick returning is in great hands with A.J. Jefferson. Fresno State has very little to worry about when it comes to the special teams units. John Baxter generally has these players prepared for every situation possible.

What does this all mean? It means that Fresno State football in 2008 will have a shot at an amazing season. The men’s baseball team just qualified for the College World Series. The women’s softball team missed a super regional by one questionable call. The women’s basketball team qualified for their first NCAA tournament ever. Fresno State won the WAC commissioner’s cup. Overall it has been an amazing year of sports here at Fresno State. Now it’s the football team’s turn to step up and show the nation how truly good they are in 2008. Here is exactly what you can expect from Fresno State in 2008: A team that will fight until the end week to week with a desire to win at all costs and a drive to show the nation just how good this Bulldogs team is as a whole.

The Role of the Underdog

2008-06-10T22:20:00.000-07:00

Every sport aside FBS college football has a true champion crowned at the end of the season. Sometimes the champion crowned is exactly who everyone figures it will be. During the 1990’s the Chicago Bulls were as sure a bet as anyone could make during their six championship runs. On the other hand sometimes the favorite is upset in monumental fashion. During the 2007-2008 Super Bowl we as a nation were able to watch one of the bigger upsets in history as the New York Giants knocked off the undefeated New England Patriots. Sure there are fans out there that picked the Giants to win the Super Bowl, but the Patriots were overwhelming favorites prior to the start
of the game. I realize none of this directly has to do with the college world series unless you take a look deeper into what I am trying to say. This weekend Fresno State will compete in their first college world series in seventeen years as heavy underdogs. As an underdog Fresno State has done the job over the past two weekends with huge upsets in Long Beach and Tempe. Is it possible that they just may pull the biggest upset of them all?

In order to understand the role of an underdog in the college world series let’s take a look back at the past five years to see how the favorites have faired:

2007
Winner – Oregon State (unranked)
Highest Ranked Participant – Rice (2 seed)

2006
Winner – Oregon State (unranked)
Highest Ranked Participant – Clemson (1 seed)

2005
Winner – Florida (7 seed)
Highest Ranked Participant – Tulane (1 seed)

2004
Winner – Cal State Fullerton (7 seed)
Highest Ranked Participant – Texas (1 seed)

2003
Winner – Rice (5 seed)
Highest Ranked Participant – LSU (2 seed)

If you look at the past five seasons you will notice that not one time has the favorite won the college world series. In fact since rankings have been given only Miami has won the College World Series as the one seed. In other words being unranked heading into the College World Series is not necessarily a terrible spot to be in. What most people do not realize about the World Series is that it rewards those teams who have caught the hot hand at the right time in the season. While it is true that teams such as Miami and North Carolina are ranked as the top two teams in the nation, it also remains true that they quite possibly could be knocked out of the tournament by a lower ranked team who has caught fire at the right time.

Many of you may be asking what exactly does this mean for Fresno State. It means that the Bulldogs will be decided underdogs in this tournament. But remember the Bulldogs were underdogs in their previous two regionals and found a way to come out on top in both of those. I am not saying the Bulldogs are going to win the college world series. I realize to come out on top in a tournament such as this you have to be clicking on all cylinders and the ball must bounce your way from time to time. The difference for Fresno State now is they have reached their ultimate goal and know they have the talent to win it all. The Dogs just upset the #3 team in the nation on a field where the Sun Devils had lost a total of three games the entire season. At the same time Fresno State is a team that is most comfortable playing the role of the underdog. They realize they are not supposed to win the college world series. But here they are as one of the remaining eight teams in the nation playing for the biggest prize that college baseball has to offer them. Their determination, effort, fight, and desire has put them into an eight team tournament to become the best team in all of college baseball. Sports are cyclical as some teams remain on top for long periods of time until another rises up to knock them off of the perch they sit upon. In the end I am left with one phrase that is exactly how I feel about the Bulldogs chances in the college world series:

“Why Not Us?”

It’s simple, to the point, and exactly how I feel about the Bulldogs chances in 2008. Why not us? Go Dogs and thank you for this amazing season you have given us as fans.

A Team for the Ages

2008-06-09T23:32:00.001-07:00

The year began just as it had the past few seasons in Fresno. The Bulldogs would be ranked in the top twenty five only to falter out of the gates. Diamond Dog fans in Fresno were once again left to question whether this team had the talent to win their third consecutive WAC title. As the season moved along Fresno State sat near the .500 mark for much longer than many of us were comfortable with.
The Dogs were not playing good baseball and everyone including the players themselves knew it. Towards the tail end of the WAC season Fresno State held on to first place by the skin of their teeth and entered the WAC tournament as the one seed. What happened next is something that every Bulldog fan will remember for the rest of their lives.

Fresno State went on to win their third straight WAC tournament in 2008. To this date the Bulldogs have not lost once during the course of the WAC tournament in their history. But Fresno State had been in this position before. Much like the Lady Dogs softball team the Bulldogs commonly qualify for a regional yearly. The only difference between the 2008 Bulldog baseball squad when compared to year’s past was the fact that had the Dogs lost the WAC tournament this year they would not have qualified for a regional. However, Fresno State won the WAC and was placed in one of the toughest regionals in the nation where the seeding would look as follows:

1) Long Beach State
2) San Diego
3) California
4) Fresno State

Each team was ranked nationally in the regional aside Fresno State. In other words the Bulldogs had their work cut out for them. It was the Bulldogs against the rest of the world and unlike many times in the past this 2008 Bulldog team was up for the challenge.

After an opening win against Long Beach State the Dogs took on and shut out San Diego in the second round of the regional 6-0. Fresno State sat in the winners’ bracket awaiting the winner of the Long Beach State-San Diego matchup. Once San Diego had defeated the Dirtbags the Bulldogs knew they had to win one game to advance to their first super regional in over a decade. Fresno State went out and were promptly torn apart by the Toreros in game one 15-1. Many Bulldog fans worried that the Dogs would follow suit to many teams in the past and lose again to San Diego in the deciding game of the regional. Instead the 2008 Bulldogs would make history with a 5-1 defeat of the Toreros. With their regional win Fresno State would then be sent off to Tempe, AZ to face the third ranked Sun Devils of Arizona State. Arizona State sported a 48-11 record with only three losses during the entire season at home. Fresno State had their work cut out for them as it would require a monumental upset to knock off the Sun Devils in their own house.

In game one the Bulldogs played tough but untimely errors did them in as they trailed 8-4 heading into the eighth inning. ASU’s hitters were too much for the Dogs in game one and the Dogs would face an early hole in the series with a 12-4 defeat. Fresno State would now have to win the final two games of the series in order to return to the College World Series for the first time since 1991. Game two of the series would come down to one key at bat in the fourth inning and timely pitching at the tail end of the game. Gavin Hedstrom stepped up to the plate in the fourth inning with two outs and the bases loaded. The Dogs had put together four hits with two outs but had only one run to show for it. With two strikes Hedstrom swung at a curveball that jumped off of his bat to left center field. The ball carried over the fence giving Fresno State a 7-5 lead that they would not relinquish. Fresno State would finish off the victory with strong pitching from Brandon Burke. But the Dogs still had to win one more game and were depleted in the pitching department. Could the Dogs pull off one of the biggest upsets in college baseball during the 2008 season by knocking off the Sun Devils?

Game three would be tough for both teams as the pitching staffs were equally depleted. For the first six innings both teams battled back and forth as the score sat at 5-5. Then the top of the seventh arrived. With two outs and the bases loaded Hedstrom was hit by a pitch to give the Dogs a 6-5 lead. Eric Wetzel followed with a double that cleared the bases given the Dogs a 9-5 lead. While a four run lead in most games is suitable the Dogs were playing the Sun Devils and no lead is ever safe against them. Following Wetzel the WAC player of the year Steve Susdorf stepped to the plate and crushed the ball deep to right center field to increase the lead to 11-5. The Dogs would need every last one of those runs as an eventful ninth inning was in sight. The Dogs would head to the bottom of the ninth with a 12-5 lead only to watch Sean Bonesteele and Brandon Burke allow four runs to score. With two outs and the bases loaded the Bulldogs would finally capture their dream they had played so hard to reach. With a fly ball to left field the Bulldogs had won the Tempe regional and reached the college world series.

Fresno State will open up against Rice, the #6 national seed. Rice used to be a part of the WAC until they jumped ship to conference USA a few ago. Fresno State will have to hope their pitching and hitting can come through as it will take an amazing effort to win the college world series. But do remember that this is a team that was not supposed to win their regional as the four seed. The Dogs were not supposed to knock off the Sun Devils in the Tempe regional but they did. Now Fresno State is not supposed to win the college world series. To this writer it sounds like the Dogs are right where they want to be.

Pat Hill's Recruiting Style

2008-06-03T13:17:00.000-07:00

Over the past eleven years we as Bulldog fans have witnessed a change in Bulldog football. It all began with the head coach. Pat Hill took over Fresno State in 1997 and immediately made an impact as the head coach of this team. At the time recruiting was not nearly viewed in the same light as it is in today's world. Recruits were not under a microscope in the same respect that they are today as everyone desires to know what a recruits strengths and weaknesses are before they commit to a school. As fans we feel like we can evaluate a player based on what we have seen from him in his high school years. I for one thought Beau Sweeney would be hands down the best QB for the Bulldogs after watching him play during his Junior season. However, I realize I was wrong only because I let my heart and desire for valley football get in the way of what is truly best for Bulldog football. While we may question Pat Hill and his recruiting style, the fact remains that Hill continually finds players that fit the Bulldog football program perfectly. Regardless of what we think of his efforts as the head coach when it comes to recruiting Pat Hill does it exactly how all head coaches should. He recruits with respect to what the team needs and will only take players that he feels fit into the program perfectly.

In 2006 The Bulldogs underachieved at a level we had not seen since the mid 1990's. The question of who should play QB came up early and often. Sean Norton was the backup to Tom Brandstater who most felt was not ready to be the starting QB. However, Pat Hill showed tremendous faith in Brandstater by making him the starter for the majority of the season. Although a large amount of fans disagreed with Pat on the QB issue only one season later we were able to see that Pat was right in keeping Brandstater in as our QB. Headed into his senior year Brandstater is viewed as the man to lead this team to their first WAC title in nearly ten seasons. Without Pat Hill's support who knows what would have happened to Brandstater during the course of his sophomore season. He was continually put down by the public and criticized for his play on the field. Week after week Hill supported Brandstater and we as fans could not figure out why. Today we know that Pat was able to see what Brandstater could truly do on the field while we as fans were not able to see past his performances early in his career.

The difference between Pat Hill and your average fan is that Pat understands what it takes to be a college football player at Fresno State. He realizes what players will help the team and what players won't. When Hill goes on recruiting trips he understands the needs of the team and does not have the desire to tell a recruit that the Dogs are going to offer him if he does not believe it is in the best interest of Fresno State to do so. While schools such as Florida, Cal, and UCLA can offer scholarships to hundreds of players only to pull them back when they reach their allotted amount, Fresno State on the other hand only offers scholarships to players they want in their program. The Bulldogs do not offer every single five star recruit because it is not realistic to do so. While it makes sense to show a top flight recruit attention, if that attention falls on deaf ears then what exactly is the point of the attention in the first place? Pat Hill did not actively recruit Derek Carr but Derek decided to attend Fresno State. Travis Brown may be the first five star high school recruit in Bulldog history. However, to find other recruits Pat is forced to earn his money as head coach.

I realize that many times we as fans think we know what is best for our hometown team. I think at times my knowledge of offense is exactly what allows me to understand what type of players the Bulldogs need. The truth is only the coaching staff and Pat Hill know exactly what is best for this program. Regardless if I have been a fan of Bulldog football for the past five, ten, or fifteen years I am not a coach in the Bulldog football program. In other words when all is said and done trust Pat Hill and his recruiting style. He may not be flashy with the way that he recruits, nor will he promise anyone more than they will actually be able to accomplish at State. Pat will be honest and that is something to be remembered in today's world where lying seems to get you ahead and a players word means absolutely nothing. Pat has done a great job recruiting here in Fresno and if we are lucky as Bulldog fans we will be able to enjoy his recruiting classes for many years into the future.

What the 2008 Bulldog Football Season Hinges on

2008-06-02T10:05:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I attended the Under Armour camp with Mdg and Zagfan559 (I have a horrendous sunburn on my forehead to prove it). While watching all of the junior and seniors compete one on one in drills I began to think about the many different avenues the 2008 Bulldog football season might take. I have had a hard time coming up with what I think will happen during the football season if only because of how the 2007 season went. As one of my good friends said "the 2007 season was one of the best coaching jobs Pat Hill has done in his time at Fresno State." I tend to agree with this sentiment due to the amount of injuries the Bulldogs endured this past season and it is injuries that I believe will impact the 2008 season more so than any other factor.

Anyone who follows the Bulldogs knows the Dogs may be more talented on the field in 2008 than ever before. Tom Brandstater returns as the Senior QB with both experience and talent. The RB situation has only become that much better with the addition of players such as A.J. Ellis and Rashad Evans. Not to mention Ryan Mathews, Lonyae Miller, and Anthony Harding are not exactly guys you would want on the bench in the first place. The receiving core on offense is one of the deepest the Bulldogs have seen in years and is backed by a tight end that is NFL material (Bear Pascoe). With the offensive line in tact come fall practice there is no reason to think this team will not average close to forty points per game. The problem is when thinking about all of the weapons the Bulldogs have on the field we as fans are not considering who we may lose during the course of the season to injury. Here is a better question to consider if you are a Bulldog fan. Who can we afford to lose and still enjoy a successful 2008 season? At the same time what do you as fans consider a solid 2008 football season to be? I refrain from making predictions on any game until the week before due to the fact that injuries will impact the way a football team plays. But you as readers of the blog are welcome to leave comments as to what you feel is possible for this team in 2008.

While I have mentioned the offensive weapons we have fans should also remember that we are returning a bulk of our defense as well. Our entire secondary returns aside Damon Jenkins who will be replaced by either Sharrod Davis or Damion Owens. Our Linebacking core lost Marcus Riley and it will be a tall task to replace such an outstanding linebacker. However, Fresno State brought in both Ricky Pemasa and Damion Whittington to fill the Riley void. The defensive line will be in great shape with Ramos, Banks, Monga, Carter, Lewis, and Ike. However, this will be one area where injuries could wreak havoc on the Bulldogs. Fresno State's first team defensive line will cause problems for most teams they line up against as they have both the size and speed to play with anyone. Unfortunately after the first team there is a huge drop in the talent that will be on the field. To hope for relative health out of the defensive line would be an understatement in the least. How Fresno State is able to deal with it's injuries in 2008 will be the tell tale of how the season will transpire.

In the end most players that step on the field are replaceable if only because there is talent there to step in and take over. The one position Fresno State can ill afford an injury to in 2008 will be the QB position. Make no mistakes about it, this 2008 team has the talent and ability to run the table. As long as the defense keeps the Dogs in the game the offense is going to get the job done with Brandstater at QB. If for some reason Brandstater is not able to go the reigns are then turned over to little used Ryan Colburn. Many have confidence in Colburn and feel he can lead this team just as well as Brandstater can. However, Colburn has very little game experience and that is exactly how you become a more seasoned QB. After all what happened the last time we started a season with a QB that had very little game experience?

Injury. One word that can completely change the face of an entire football team. Here is hoping that for the first time since 2001 the Bulldogs will not have to deal with a major injury that single handedly changes the course of the 2008 football season.

Note: I will be doing my best to blog more often in the off season. I apologize to those who read the blog daily and will do my best to make sure there is content for everyone to read throughout the entire 2008 football season.

How is this year different?

2008-05-23T09:35:00.000-07:00

SF Gater again taking the gauntlet as guest on the Fresno State Bulldog Blog. As previously mentioned, those who pay attention to college football are placing the Bulldogs in their top-25s, and the team may be the presumptive favorites to win the conference for the first time since 1999. Nevertheless there are naysayers who point out that the Boise State Broncos have dominated the WAC since joining the conference in 2001, that they have not lost a WAC game at home since joining the conference, that Fresno State has a record for being, in Stewart Mandel’s words, the “Clemson of mid-majors: A big tease.” This raises the question- is this year different? How?

A corollary to the above question might be, how were all those other years different? I propose that this year’s team is a unique entity, one radically unlike those preceding it in several important respects. The first is experience. As much of the team was injured last year, many bench players had an opportunity to get valuable game experience, while many of the starters had played in previous seasons. One of the major separating factors between BCS and mid-major teams has long proven to be depth- often the starters may be comparable, but there is a radical divide in the second string down, where backups at BCS schools would likely start at their mid-major counterparts. Fresno State this year will be in a position unique for a mid-major in that there are skilled bench players such as Adam McDowell, Reynard Camp, and Cornell Banks, who can come in and make a difference after starting games last year.

The biggest difference made is in fortitude and discipline, the ability to shake off a loss. Each of the previous few seasons has an example of a though loss that affected the next game, and the one after, in a negative way. Last year, however, was different. The Texas A&M loss is a key case in point. After going into the half with a big deficit, the Bulldogs rallied and tied the game, taking it into three overtimes before a crushing loss. The next week was never a contest, with the Bulldogs losing by several touchdowns to Oregon. But the team did not let those twin losses get the best of them, and rallied for a four game winning streak against La Tech and Nevada teams that had bested us in similar situations before. The Hawai’i game is another example, when the team dropped a close game to a ranked opponent. The team just went ahead the next week and handed Kansas State a miserable loss. They didn’t lay an egg; instead they took big losses and turned them around into wins.

I think the composition of this bulldog team is different from previous years. The offense will be composed nearly entirely of returning starters, and the bench players behind them largely come into the game with experience. The key might be how to play in adverse circumstances, and the Bulldogs have proven they are able to do so.

Opening the season at Rutgers on September 1^st is going to be an intense challenge; it will be important for the team to draw strength from the adversity in an East Coast venue. As the game draws closer, we will discuss the matchup in more detail, but today it can address the question of how this team is different from ones in the past, and most particularly in those qualities that might lead them to excel in the coming season.

Bulldog Rankings

2008-05-11T18:13:00.001-07:00

Hi folks, SF Gator here, and I'd like to thank NSC and MDG for giving me the opportunity to represent as a guest contributer to the FSFB. The Barkboard has come alive of late with the various preseason rankings that have been released by magazines, websites, and other media, placing the Bulldogs securely in the top-25. The preseason mags begin to heat up during the summer, and the two that 'really matter,' the AP and the Coaches polls, both are released latter than that; nevertheless, the post-spring workouts have yielded college football fans and pundits a variety of musings, which have manifested in rankings like the following:

ATHLON has released teams in its top 25 once-a-day, starting auspiciously with the Bulldogs at #25;

CBS Sportsline pundit' n' hack Dennis Dodd actually didn't suck for the first time ever, placing the Bulldogs at #24;

ESPN has their man Mark Schlabach pegging Fresno State at a solid #21, with opponent Rutgers nowhere in sight (like Dodd, but unlike Athlon who has them at #22);

So, given this mayhem, what conclusions can we draw? Well, obviously the Bulldogs are getting some preseason love, both from the nice lil' pasting of the Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech in the Boise Bowl and the accompanying 9-4 record, and return of guys who played well and returning health of guys who should play well next year. Some of our opponents this year are in interesting positions; Boise isn't ranked by anyone, and neither is Cal Los Angeles; Rutgers is only ranked by Athlon; and everyone has Wisconsin in the top 18 at least. It's likely those positions will shift during the season so that some other teams do find themselves ranked when they play the 'Dogs.

At this point, the Bulldogs have found themselves ranked at one point or another at least once since 2001, but haven't managed to go preseason to postseason ranked all the way though by any major poll. Still, it seems likey that the Bulldogs should start the season against Rutgers in the top-25, which is important since any media will represent the scores of all top-25 teams with more detail (like a write-up or Sports Center highlight) than even a really good or well-known outside of the top-25. It's also good because it's harder to move up from unranked to ranked really high if you weren't thought of well to begin with. Also, playing the likes of Idaho, Utah State, and NM State each and every year (and often one after the other) means there will be some attentionless days in October or November when a ranking at least draws attention to the fact that you mopped the floor with somebody. And lastly, the fact that pundits are paying attention in mid-May means that it's likely that they'll pay attention in Mid-August.

Keep playing well, and someday the Bulldogs could find themselves ranked perennially, and viewed as a regular favorite for a WAC and Mid Major title. The powers-that-be recently scoffed heartily while drinking champagne at the idea of a playoff, so we'll be living with our present system for a while to come- meaning, a non BCS team that finishes in the top-12 is guaranteed a BCS bid, and the impression that the Bulldogs make this year will be an important one. Starting high and losing (once and only once) against a badass may not be a kiss of death for the Bulldogs making a BCS bowl, and if the initial impression for the Bulldogs is good enough and the team does well enough, a BCS bowl is a realistic probability. But keep in mind that BYU is ranked and ranked higher than the Bulldogs in every single one of those polls. and the Cougars don't have to play Wisconsin or Rutgers.

one more rankings note: I'm absolutely amazed at the way these rankings folks have ignored UC Berkeley this year. Normally, the pundits overrate them tremendously (I'm looking at you, Mel Brooks look alike Lee Corso); but this year, after losing their last six regular season games and going 7-6, everyone has stayed clear. Okay, everyone who has ever read anything i've ever written or heard me speak in my life knows my feelings toward UC Berkeley are like Cap'n Ahab's toward that damn whale; but I honestly can't see this year's UC Berkeley football team winning fewer than 8 games. I don't buy the QB controversy thing, Tedford'll take care of it, most coaches can handle having two solid options at QB, a solid but sometimes shaky senior and a rising star underclassman, the only guy who couldn't was Dirk Koetter and he was the exception that proves the rule.

Look, not to harp on this, but they open at home against Michigan State, a few people's sleeper but i just cant see them beating the Bears at home to open the season, there is too much speed, to many experienced upperclassmen and the coaching is too good. This is practically the same team that beat the SEC West champion Volunteers to open last season. Then they go to a depleted Wash State, then go to Maryland to face Fridge's Terps, which'll be a tough one but, look, they are not losing that game, i don't think. Maryland isn't as fast on offense as UC Berkeley, they just aren't, even at home. They'll open 3-0 and everyone'll jump on their bandwagon like they did in the last 5 years, and former Fresno State QB Jeff "the Douche" Tedford will be everyone's September coach of the year. Guys like Dodd, Mendel and Schlabach will jump on that bandwagon in seconds. I'm just saying, y'all saw it here first.

Bear With Us

2008-04-17T09:12:00.000-07:00

It's the off-season and with me publishing BarkBoard.com and NSC working his real job, the site has suffered. We at FSFB apologize for the lack of content. We've asked for help, but all who have come forward failed as regular contributors.

NSC says once the season is back in full swing, he will contribute on a regular basis. Spring ball is in full swing and complete coverage is available at BB.C. As most of you know, the 08 Bulldogs will be very good. One reason why is because of the gentleman pictured to the right!

A Confident Realization

2008-01-09T16:50:00.000-08:00

by nsc

We are all familiar with the offensive problems that the Bulldogs suffered throughout the 2006 football season. We are all also very familiar with the offensive improvement that was shown on the football field in 2007. Tom Brandstater looked like the QB we all hoped he would turn into. Our running game once again dominated nearly every game as the Bulldogs averaged over 200 yards on the ground per game. Receivers such as Marlon Moore, Seyi Ajirotutu, and Jason Crawley showed they can be the go to guy when the game is on the line. Fresno State raised their points per game average nearly ten points from 23 to 33 and showed the ability to not only hit on big plays but to control the clock for the entirety of a game. While it would be nice to credit the players for this improvement the fact is their offensive coordinator is the reason the Bulldogs changed their fortune during the course of the season. Many may have forgotten that this Bulldog team began the season just as the 2006 team did: 1-2 with a close loss to a top twenty five team. In 2006 the Bulldogs came unglued faltering in their next six games following their hard fought loss to Oregon. When 2007 began in the same manner with a hard fought loss at Texas A&M many worried that the Dogs would fall apart once again. However, J-Mac would not let the 2007 Bulldogs suffer the same fate as the team of year's past had experienced.

It would be unfair to credit only the offense for the 9-4 record the Bulldogs achieved in 2007. But to ignore what J-Mac did for this offense would be naive in every sense of the imagination. J-Mac took an offense with little direction and turned them into a powerful unit that would be capable of scoring each time they had the ball. In 2006 Fresno State often led with the run because the creative side of the Dogs offense had disappeared. No longer did the Dogs rely on passing the ball to gain yardage. Many Bulldog fans were left wondering if the coaches had any faith in the Fresno State offense. Steve Hagen (one of the single worst offensive coordinators to ever set foot at Fresno State) let this team fall apart right in front of our very eyes. The offensive woes culminated with one of the single most embarrassing defeats in Fresno State history: A 13-12 defeat at the hands of winless Utah State. The Aggies would go on to finish with one win in 2006 and Fresno State would be the lone victim. During their loss to Utah State it became apparent that the Bulldogs lacked any type of downfield threat. The reason for the lack of passing however did not lay in the hands of the players themselves. Fresno State had receivers capable of making plays but the offensive coordinator did not allow the Bulldogs to exploit Utah State and their horrendous pass defense. Instead Hagen chose to allow Utah State to remain in the game by constantly running the ball between the tackles. That was an experience that no Bulldog coach, player, or fan ever wanted to experience again. J-Mac made sure this became a realization in 2007.

In 2007 the Bulldogs opened the season just as they had in 2006: Leading with the run. However, something was different about the 2007 Bulldogs offense. Instead of calling 60% run plays the passing game began to make an appearance on the football field. J-Mac showed that he was the type of coach that not only would pass the ball, but if the defense allowed him to J-Mac would direct the offense to throw the ball often. The first sign of the passing game occurred against the Aggies of Texas A&M. In a game Fresno State trailed 19-0 at halftime the Bulldogs opened the second half allowing Brandstater to open the offense up. That was exactly what Brandstater did as the Dogs scored 45 points over the span of the second half and three overtimes. While the Dogs offense did not explode after this game it was only a short period of time before Fresno State fans were able to see what J-Mac could truly direct this offense to do. Three weeks later Fresno State traveled to Nevada and scored 49 followed by 37 at Idaho and 30 against San Jose State. In eight of their last nine games the Bulldogs scored at least 30 points in each game. The offense had arrived and the fans in Fresno finally were able to see what this team was capable of on the field of play.

As I stated earlier it would be foolish to think that J-Mac had little to do with the improvement the offense showed in 2007. So it should have come as no surprise that J-Mac immediately became a hot commodity to the rest of the college football world. His alma mater Eastern Washington offered him the head coaching position. While the decision was tough for J-Mac he realized that Fresno is where he wants to be for now. Once the Bulldogs offense heard the news that J-Mac was staying they exhaled and were able to breathe fresh air once again. Players such as Tom Brandstater, Ryan Matthews, and Marlon Moore know this offense is because of J-Mac's creativity. Without J-Mac these players would not show the level of confidence that they do on the football field today. it is because of J-Mac's creativity that the Bulldogs feel they can score on anyone anytime they take the field. While the Bulldogs may not be able to hold on to J-Mac for many more years into the future they seem intent on doing their best to take full advantage of his creative mind sooner than later. It is J-Mac that allows the Bulldogs to confidently realize that in 2008 they may just become the type offense that no team can shut down regardless of what conference they play in.

NSC asks...Can Fresno State Replace These Seniors?

2008-01-08T15:35:00.000-08:00

by nsc

In 2007 the Bulldogs will endure the losses of a handful of seniors. Fresno State's offense will bid adeu to both Clifton Smith and Ryan Wendell. On the defensive side of the ball the Bulldogs will say goodbye to Marcus Riley (ouch), Damon Jenkins, Tyler Clutts, and Charles Tolbert. On special teams the Bulldogs say goodbye to Clint Stitser and Kyle Zimmerman. Obviously there are more seniors moving on such as Shannon Dorsey and Jesus Tapia but the players listed above are the ones that will be the most important to replace. How Fresno State goes about replacing these key players may determine what happens on the field of play in 2008. Since the offense has the least amount of work to do we will start with them.

2008 Bulldogs Offense: Key Losses: Clifton Smith and Ryan Wendell. Key returning players: Everyone else. Yes I could list the players returning but you all know who is coming back if you are a true Bulldog fan. With our entire receiving core returning Fresno State's offense should be as explosive as any team in the nation. It should also be noted that Fresno State returns three RB's who made a name for themselves on the field in 2007. While returning so many core players is important it should also be noted that our QB returns, our #1 TE threat returns, and our entire offensive line minus Wendell returns. I realize Wendell was wonderful on the offensive line but Fresno State rarely has problems with the offensive line. There is a reason this team rushes for so many yards season after season. The offensive line is the main reason that Brandstater has been sacked 23 times in 24 games over the past two seasons. Anytime an offensive line gives up less than one sack a game they are doing their job to protect the quarterback.

What to expect from the 2008 Offense: Expect the Bulldogs to plug in players such as A.J. Ellis , Tim Lang, and Devon Wylie to help shoulder the loss of Clifton Smith. While these players may not have the moves that Smith did they are young and will have time to develop on the field of play. Each of these three players bring different aspects to the field and will be able to show how talented they are in 2008. The replacement of Wendell will be much easier as Fresno State has so a plethora of offensive lineman to step in and play right away. Players such as Joe Bernandi and Devan Cunningham will be on the field often opening up holes for our three headed running attack in 2008. Expect this Bulldog team to score nearly 40 points a game during the 2008 season.

2008 Bulldogs Defense: Key Losses: Marcus Riley, Charles Tolbert and Tyler Cutts. Key Returning Players: A. J. Jefferson, Damian Owens, Ben Jacobs, Quaadir Brown, and Jon Monga. Defense is going to be the question mark of this football team in 2008. The offense will produce early and often for the Dogs so the defense is going to have to make sure that the opposing team does not hang with the high powered offense of the Dogs. Fresno State will not be able to replace Marcus Riley. He is not the kind of player you can replace in one season. Ricky Pemesa was tabbed to replace Riley and may be able to do so, but it will take much longer than one season. Ben Jacobs, Q Brown, Todd Chisom, Nico Herron, Ryan Machado, and Ryan Mckinley will all have to step up and find a way to bring the defensive intensity that Riley brought to the field. If the defense can find a way to compensate for the loss of Riley they will do fine in the long run.

What to expect from the 2008 Defense: Early on the Dogs will suffer on defense if for no other reason than team leadership. I realize we have a good amount of players returning on defense but the intensity that players such as Tolbert, Clutts, and Riley brought to the field will be hard to match. Fresno State will do it's best as they will add the Jackson brothers and Matt Akers to their defensive line. While he has not committed a player such as Valentine could single handedly sure up this defensive line. The secondary will be a step up from 2007 as both Harris and Haynes return as safeties with Jefferson and Owens at corner. Although Jenkins started for Fresno State for the greater part of his college career he never truly developed into the type of corner the Dogs had hoped he would. With Jenkins gone other players such as Davis will have a chance to make a name for himself in 2008. Fresno State will give up a lot early on but expect this defensive unit to come together and eventually learn to make plays by the middle of 2008.

2008 Special Teams Key Losses: Kyle Zimmerman and Clint Stitser. The special teams unit will now turn the reigns over to redshirt Freshman Kevin Goessling. This kid has an amazing leg and will do just fine as our field goal kicker. He is left footed which may remind many of you of Asen Asperuhov. Goessling will do his best to make us forget about Clint Stitser. As for punting Robert Malone will take over duties here. Malone was tabbed the punter a season ago only to lose his job to Zimmerman. Hopefully in 2008 Malone will mature to the point that he becomes the type of punter this program always thought he would be. Special teams may take a while to come around in the kicking game. We shall see how this plays out.

Overall the Dogs look to have a solid team on paper. At the end of 2007 the Dogs finished 30th in coaches poll. Look for Fresno State to open near the top 25. If the Dogs play strong at UCLA and K-State look for a top ten Wisconsin team to head to Fresno to face a top 20 Bulldogs team. Hopefully everyone remembers the last time a top ten team came to Fresno. If you don't it was Oregon State in 2001. This Bulldog team has the talent to do exactly what the Dogs did to Oregon State in 2001. Here is hoping that it is in the cards for the Dogs to make a run like they did in 2001. If the newcomers play to their potential 2008 will be a great season for Fresno State. All the Dogs need to remember is the only game that matters right now is their next game against UCLA.

The State of the Bulldogs

2008-01-07T16:01:00.000-08:00

by nsc

Recently, I spent three days in Boise, Idaho to watch our Fresno State Bulldogs take on the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech. I had high hopes for Fresno State coming into the Humanitarian bowl if for no other reason than the fact that the Bulldogs were able to turn around their fortunes on the football field when compared to what happened during 2006. Since the Bulldogs defeated Georgia Tech I have read that Fresno State will be the team to watch out for in 2008. I have read that if there is a mid-major primed to make a run at the BCS in 2008 it's the Bulldogs. While I tend to agree with this sentiment I want to cover a few thoughts that fans of Fresno State should stear clear of during what should be a very eventful offseason for Fresno State. I realize that Pat Hill is currently en route to signing one of his best recruiting classes in Bulldog history, but staying grounded is what we as Bulldog fans need to do from now until August 31st and the following reasons are why I think we need to be cautious as to what we dream of.

1) Refrain from all BCS talk: Yes it's great to believe that Fresno State is a team on the cusp of the BCS. Yes it's great to believe that our beloved Dogs will one day rise above the rest and find a way to run the table regardless of how tough their schedule is. However, I warn all Bulldog fans to stay away from BCS talk. Fresno State is going to be a good team in 2008, I have no doubts about that. However, we do play a very grueling schedule and after the Hawaii debacle it is going to be even tougher to qualify for a BCS game as a mid-major. No, they won't change the formula or the way a mid-major has to qualify but the voters will be much more apprehensive when voting for a mid-major. With that being said Fresno State does have a schedule that can reap rewards if they play smart. To me smart is attempting to go 1-0 for twelve straight weeks. It does not matter what happens in week 5 if you don't win in week 1. I advise all of you as fans to begin the season believing that a 1-0 start at the Rose Bowl is exactly what this team needs. We do not need to look ahead to Boise or Wisconsin. We need to play UCLA first and that is where the journey begins.

2) Understand Fresno State must improve on defense: Yes the Bulldogs went 9-4 this past season. But the Dogs defense gave up more yards than the offense gained. We continually had problems as we once again had a season with five or less int's. Fresno State is going to have to find a way to improve their defensive numbers in order to become a top flight team. Yes our offense will be loaded and we will score plenty of points, but will that matter if we lose 48-45? Without an improved defense the Dogs will lose the same games they did this past year, and believe me when I say this is going to be hard to do seeing that our best Linebacker in Bulldog history no longer with us (Marcus Riley). If we do not have anyone step up the defense could be in for another long season.

3) Do not put too much stock into true Freshman: I know Ebahn Feathers will be debuting for the Bulldogs next fall but remember he is a Freshman. Yes it is possible for a Freshman to make an impact such as Ryan Matthews did in 2007 but it does not happen often. If you realize that these young players have plenty to learn then you will be pleasantly surprised at how good they do when given the chance to play. You won't see these players on the field nearly as much as the upperclassmen and rightfully so, but we will need contributions from every player on the team if we hope to have an oustanding 2008 season.

4) Last but not least please let Tom be Tom: My last request and to me most important is to let Brandstater be himself in 2008. I think fans came along ways in 2007 with respect to accepting Tommy B. as our QB. But I still read plenty of messages and threads that say Tom is not as accurate as Carr or as talented as Carr. In the end all I want is for Tom to be himself. I think he is going to be great in 2008 and I think he has done just fine with the team he has. I believe his Junior year was very impressive and when I watch him play I see the skills that tell me one day he will play past Fresno State. I just hope everyone else in Bulldog land will accept him for who he is. Tom does not need to be Carr, Tom needs to be Tom. If Brandstater is the best he can possibly be week in and week out the Bulldogs will win a majority of their games in 2008.

2008 can be a special season for Fresno State. We have the talent, we have the coaching, and we have the determination as a team to make 2008 unforgettable. But we as fans need to hold back and keep all of this talk about winning every game under raps until the twelth game of the season. If the Dogs are 11-0 then I have no problems talking about where they may end up. Remember we were upset with Pat Hill for dreaming of the BCS a few years ago when we could not win the WAC. That is exactly what we need to stay away from as fans. Enjoy the offseason. We will have plenty of news about practices, players, and the direction of this team. Just enjoy it because right now isn't it great to be a Bulldog fan?

Comparing Tom Brandstater and David Carr (yes it can be done)

2007-11-29T10:07:00.001-08:00

by nsc

In 2001 we all remember the magic ride the Fresno State Bulldogs embarked on to begin the season. The Dogs opened up with three straight wins over BCS schools and were awarded the #8 ranking in the nation for doing so. David Carr had an amazing season as he threw for over 4000 yards and 45 td's leading the Bulldogs to an overall record of 11-3. Today it seems that regardless of how good or bad our teams are we continually compare them to that 2001 team. The other day I wrote a blog on Tom Brandstater and how he has matured over the season. I wrote that I feel his development is ahead of where David Carr was at the same point in his Junior season. I am quite sure many of you do not feel the same way as I do so I decided to use opposing team's record, common stats, and team schedules to try and further prove that Tom Brandstater is right where we need him to be at this point in his career. Brandstater had a very tough 2006 season but I cannot use that in comparison because David Carr was not our starter his sophomore season. While many awful things were said about Tom during our 4-8 season last year he was only a sophomore and there is no way to reference that for any type of comparison. Instead I will use Tom's Junior season and the records from the teams we play his senior year to compare the two QB's side by side. Now don't get me wrong, David Carr was an absolute godsend for this program as he helped put the Dogs into the national spotlight. All I am trying to say here is that Brandstater may be on the same maturation level as Carr was when he blossomed into one of the best QB's in college football. Let's begin the comparison by referencing Carr's Junior season and how he did during that season.

In 2000 Carr led the Bulldogs to a 7-5 record as they lost in the Silicon Valley Bowl to Air Force 37-34. In that game David Carr showed us glimpses of what he would become in 2001. Carr threw for 388 yards and five td's while bringing the Dogs back from a 34-7 halftime deficit. For the season Carr finished with the following stat line:

216 for 349 for 2,729 yards 62% completion rate 27 td's

What is far more interesting about the Bulldogs 2000 season is the record of the teams that Carr won and loss against. The teams Carr led the Bulldogs to victories over had a combined 26-56 record. The teams Carr and the Dogs lost to had a combined record of 41-19. In other words the teams the Dogs beat that season were teams they were supposed to beat. The Dogs did not lose to anyone they shouldn't have lost to with respect to team record and the Dogs did not beat anyone they shouldn't have beaten. Now let's take a look at Brandstater in 2007 and how he has fared against believe it or not very similar competition overall. Brandstater's line to date is as follows:

178 for 288 for 2,164 yards 62% completion rate 14 td's

Remember that Brandstater still has two games remaining. No Brandstater will not throw for 13 td's in the next two games but it is possible that he may throw for 500 yards and say five td's. If that does happen he will end up with 2650-2700 yards passing (right where Carr was) and around 18-20 td's. Now let's take a look at the win-loss records of the teams the Dogs have played in 2007. Against teams the Dogs have beaten the opponents record is: 23-47. The teams the Dogs have lost to have a combined 36-10 record. You can try and make a case that the teams we lost to in 2000 are superior to the teams we have lost to this season but a further look shows this to be untrue. In 2000 we lost to Ohio State which is comparable to this year's Oregon team (record wise). In 2000 we lost to UCLA which is comparable to this year's TAMU team (record wise also). However, in 2000 the only other team that was anywhere near as good as this year's Boise and Hawaii team's would have been TCU. Air Force was not a dominating force in 2000 nor was UTEP. If this is not enough in the comparison arena for those who read the blog let me take a look at Carr's 2001 season to further prove that Brandstater will have a chance to show he can be our next star QB.

In 2001 Carr had what many consider to be the best QB season in Bulldog history. We know his stat line was astonishing and there is no way Brandstater will ever match what Carr did in 2001. However lets take a look at the win-loss records of the opponents Carr faced in 2001. The teams Carr led the Bulldogs to victories over had a combined 57-71 record. The teams Carr and the Dogs suffered a loss to had a comnined 24-12 record. As of right now the team's Brandstater will take the field against in 2008 have a combined 68-75 record. In 2001 Carr led Fresno State to three straight victories over BCS teams. In 2008 the Bulldogs also open the season with three consecutive games against BCS teams. I realize that comparing stats of two players is quite hard to do. I know that Carr and Brandstater are playing in different eras of Fresno State football. While we ran the ball in 2001 we realized that our QB could win games for us and our offense allowed Carr to do just that. In 2008 I expect much of the same from our offense. I expect early on that J-Mac and Hill will realize that if we have to we can win games by throwing the ball we will. I expect the offense to put trust in Brandstater and ride his back to victories from time to time. As I said earlier Tom will not achieve the stats Carr did in 2001, that's just not possible in today's Bulldog offense. However, if Fresno State finishes 10-2 or 11-1 and Brandstater throws for say 30 td's with 7 int's or so and 3000 yards won't that be enough to say Brandstater was just as successful as Carr was as our starting QB? Remember you cannot compare their sophomore seasons, that is not fair to either QB due to starting time and the team surrounding each QB. If the Dogs can come through in 2008 and finish 10-2 TB will have a record of 18-6 (assuming we beat NMSU this Friday and not counting our bowl game this season). Carr had a 18-8 record as our starter in 2000-2001. To me that sounds eerily similar. If you do not see the connection that is fine. I realize many of you loved David Carr and cannot fathom Brandstater as the type of QB Carr was for this program. However, if you take the time to look at the numbers and compare the two you might find out they are much more similar than at first glance.

NSC...on Brandstater's Revival

2007-11-26T09:58:00.000-08:00

by nsc

2007 has been an interesting season to say the least. Fresno State has endured more injuries across the board than most teams in Div. 1A college football, yet they sit at 7-4 on the season. The Dogs travel to NMSU for their final game of the season this Friday with a chance to double their win total from 2006. Fresno State will play in a bowl game again this season. Fresno State's offense has pulled a complete 180 this season as they have averaged well over thirty points per game, up from 23 per game in 2006. However the biggest improvement this season has been in our signal caller. Brandstater struggled through 2006 as we all know. But what we did as fans that was not fair to Brandstater was blame him more so than everyone else on the team. We as fans felt that Brandstater was the sole reason that the Bulldogs offense failed miserably in 2006. We as fans were completely wrong. Today every single Bulldog fan should be praising Brandstater. For some reason that is not happening, at least not from what I am reading on the BarkBoard. Brandstater turned in a performance that was reminiscent of Carr in 2001 as he completed 23 out of 29 passes for 313 yards and 2 TD's with no int's against K-State this past Saturday. Somehow it still comes across as not good enough for many fans.

On Saturday Brandstater looked comfortable as he hit his receivers in stride and continually put the ball where only our receivers could catch it. At the same time the progression chart seems to have become a part of Tom's game as he would look down field for a receiver and check down to his second or third option if receiver one was not open. On one play Tom avoided a sack, spun around in a complete circle and looked up to complete a fifteen yard pass downfield. On that one play I realized that Brandstater had arrived. But the problem is Brandstater had arrived much earlier during the 2007 season, not just on Saturday. While Saturday certainly was an outstanding performance for our Junior QB this was not the first game Brandstater had done well. If we take Tom's past three games into account he has completed 51 out of 73 passes which equates to a 70% completion rate. In that same span Brandstater has accounted for nine TD's and only one int. To say one game does not make Tom a good QB is correct, but it has not been one game that Tom has been outstanding this season. It may just be me but I feel like so many of you have forgotten why we had a chance late against Hawaii. We did not come back against the Warriors because of our superior running game or our great defense. Instead our offensive passing game gave us a chance late in the second half. True our defense gave us the ball often in the second half against Hawaii but we would not have scored any points had it not been for Brandstater and his receivers. To ignore what Tom has done over the past month for this football team would be a disservice not only to Tom but to the Bulldog football team as a whole. So many have complained about the way Tom has played, but in all honesty his Junior year is on pace to match many of the numbers that David Carr put up. The most important stat (Wins) may very well pass up what Carr was able to do his junior year as well as the Dogs that season finished 7-5 with a loss to the Air Force in their bowl game.

As I stated earlier Fresno State is going to play in a bowl game to end the season. Whether that game is in Hawaii, Las Vegas, Boise, or New Mexico is yet to be determined, but Brandstater and the Bulldogs will play in a bowl game. For many Bulldogs it will be their first experience in a bowl game as most of the players on the team are Freshman and Sophomores. But the bowl experience will be one that the players can build on heading into 2008. Brandstater has done his part to make the Bulldogs a successful team this season. Tom has averaged nearly 200 yards a game for a team that leads with the run. Tom also has a completion percentage of 62% while throwing for 14 td's to only five int's. As I showed in a blog a week ago David Carr also completed 62% of his passes for 2700 yards his junior year and look what happened to Carr his senior season. If Tom can go out Friday night and perform as he has the past month I have no doubt that he will once again throw for 200-250 yards with 2-3 td's and no more than one int. If Brandstater throws for 250 yards in each of the final two games this season he will close with 2650 yards averaging over 200 yards a game. In other words Tom will be very proficient in the Bulldog offense.

All I am trying to get across to many of the Bulldog faithful is that Brandstater has become a very competent QB in our system. Saturday Tom showed that he can throw the seem pass, and he can throw it quite well at that. For those of you who focus on the pass he threw behind Harding shame on you. Why not pay attention to the twenty great throws Tom made this past Saturday and forget about the one throw he did not complete. In fact why not concentrate on how many throws Tom has made the past two games that have been close to being intercepted. Well if you try to do that then you will realize he has not made one throw that was anywhere close to being taken away. Brandstater has come full circle and we as fans should support the changes Tom has made both on and off the football field. While Brandstater has had a tough go to this point remember that David Carr's breakout game came in 2000 against the Air Force in the Silicon Valley Bowl where he threw for 388 yards and five td's with one int. If you take that game into consideration I would say Brandstater is actually ahead of where Carr was at this time seeing that Brandstater still has two games remaining before the end of the 2007 season. I am pleased with the improvement of this team and especially the improvement our QB has made this season. The Bulldogs have a chance to finish the season 9-4. If you told me during the 2006 season that next year we could go 9-4 with 28 injuries to key players I would have told you to get your head examined. Instead it looks like I have to be the one to get examined because the Bulldogs are doing exactly what we all wanted: Playing hard and getting results on the football field. In the end isn't that all we really can ask for from this team? Don't forget we are one play away from being 8-3 right now. This has been a very successful season for Fresno State and I just hope that each and every one of you realize it before the 2007 season comes to an end.

Not So Offensively Challenged Anymore

2007-11-15T10:39:00.000-08:00

by nsc

Each time I write about our offense I have to refer to 2006 and how everything went horribly wrong. I don't do this because I enjoyed what happened during the 2006 season but instead I use 2006 as a reference to show Bulldog fans how bad things truly were for this program at this very same point last season. At this point last year Fresno State sat at 3-7. Our offense was non-existent aside one Dwayne Wright and our defense looked worse as the season wore on. Fans continually complained about the execution of our offense and how often the Bulldogs ran the ball regardless if the defense put nine men in the box to stop the run. Our QB looked lost, our plays lacked creativity, and our receivers did very little to help our QB succeed. We as fans threw most of the blame on the QB when in reality the problem lay with our offensive coordinator Steve Hagan. Hagan seemed to run the offense into the ground. The reason I say this is under Frank Cignetti the Bulldogs averaged 39 points a game the previous two seasons. In Hagan's one year as offensive coordinator the Dogs average dropped to 23 points per game. Fresno State had the same running game, three returning receivers, an outstanding tight end, and a stellar offensive line under Hagan yet they could not sustain a drive the entire season. At that time it may not have been obvious but our offensive coordinator was the sole reason this team struggled throughout the entire 2006 season. Enter Jim McElwain at offensive coordinator and everything immediately began to change.

Jim McElwain spent six years of his coaching career at Louisville and Michigan State. During his tenure at Louisville the Cardinals averaged 31 points per game. While McElwain wasn't the offensive coordinator for Louisville he helped lead the Cardinals to the Liberty Bowl in 2000 and 2001 and the GMAC bowl in 2002. From there McElwain moved on to Michigan State where the Spartans averaged 31 points a game as well. McElwain then made the jump to the NFL where he took over as the QB coach for the Oakland Raiders. However, we all know the Raiders had absolutely no talent to work with making J-Mac look much worse than he actually was. In a sense the Raider failure led J-Mac to Fresno State where for the first time in his coaching career he would become an offensive coordinator. J-Mac had his work cut out for him once he arrived here due to the fact that Hagan had ruined everything great about the Fresno State offense. McElwain was going to have to make the Bulldogs believe that they could dominate the game once again on offense. At the same time J-Mac would have to work under Pat Hill who had always preferred the run over the pass, the opposite of the offense J-Mac worked under in the past. Would J-Mac be able to succeed in a system that was foreign to him up until this point in his college career? In one word: yes.

To see the difference McElwain has made with the offense look no further than QB Tom Brandstater. His completion percentage has gone up 6% while he has thrown twice as many TD's as interceptions. Instead of handing games to the opponent Brandstater is now managing games in which he has given us a chance to win every single game this season aside the Oregon game. While the QB position has improved tenfold under the watchful eye of McElwain the running game has also thrived to the surprise of many. The Bulldogs knew going into the season they would have a strong runner in Lonyae Miller. What they did not realize was that Ryan Matthews as a true Freshman would shine the way he has. With two games remaining Matthews needs 250 yards rushing to top the 1000 yard barrier. If the Dogs qualify for a bowl game Matthews will have three games to reach the 1000 yard goal. While the running game has thrived in McElwain's system the wide receiving core has done far better than their counterparts in 2006. Seyi Ajirotutu has become a receiver the Dogs can count on down-field. Marlon Moore has emerged as a go to receiver in the slot. Clifton Smith has been amazing underneath and we all knew Bear Pascoe would be huge the entire season. The offense has gone from averaging 23 points a game in 2006 to 31 a game this season. While 31 points a game in college football is not an amazing number the way Fresno State gets to thirty one is the reason they are winning twice as many games as they did last season. McElwain has been able to keep defenses honest with his variety of formations that he lines up with. At times we see Brandstater alone with five receivers on the field. Other times have three receivers bunched on the left with one receiver to the right. Still there are times where McElwain will line up two running backs to stay in and block for Brandstater. In other words this offense is a shell of what it was in 2006.

Last season we as Bulldog fans realized how amazing our offense truly was before Steve Hagan arrived. We realized that maybe we had been spoiled with the offensive explosions the Dogs put up week after week. In one five game stretch during the 2004 season Fresno State averaged over fifty points a game. McElwain is trying his best to get the Bulldogs back to that level on offense. Generally it takes most teams years to improve their offense to the point they are happy with it. Fresno State will not work out all of the kinks in one season. We have made a vast improvement from the product that was put on the field in 2006. The goal from here on is to improve to the point that our offense in 2007 is an after thought. If Fresno State can hold on to McElwain at coordinator for the next couple of seasons this offense will begin to thrive in ways we have never seen before. Next year Ebahn Feathers comes into the Bulldogs system as he will add a variation to the Dogs offense we have never seen. I truly believe McElwain will use Feathers to help Brandstater enjoy his most successful season as a Bulldog. It is for these reasons that I believe when all is said and done the 2008 season will be one of the more successful seasons for the Fresno State Bulldogs. Finally Bulldog fans will be able to count on the Dogs scoring often once again, a feeling we all want back much sooner than later. With McElwain in charge I no longer worry about if this offense is going to explode but instead look forward to when it is going to happen.

On the Right Track

2007-11-14T09:31:00.000-08:00

by nsc

The past two seasons have been a tumultuous time for Tom Brandstater. In 2006 he was booed more often than he was cheered. In 2006 he led the Fresno State Bulldogs to their worst record since 1996. Brandstater's stat line was less than stellar in 2006 as he completed 54% of his passes for 1490 yards with 13 td's and 14 int's. The future looked dim for the Bulldogs signal caller. The fans in Fresno did not want to see Brandstater take another snap after his horrendous start. However, Pat Hill stuck with Brandstater throughout 2006. While Tom's 2006 season was not one to write home about the chance to erase all of those memories would come at the start of the 2007 season. Whether fans feel like Tom has moved past 2006 is left up to their perception of the QB position at Fresno State and how they view success. I feel Tom has been very successful in 2007 and to show why I feel this way I am going to use the junior seasons of two of the best Bulldog QB's in our recent history: Bill Volek and David Carr.

Everyone remembers David Carr and Bill Volek as outstanding QB's in the Fresno State football system. Carr threw 46 td's his senior season compared to only nine int's. Volek threw 30 td's his senior season compared to only 3 int's, which today is still the most efficient college football season in history. But what most fans tend to forget is what these two players did their junior seasons. Below are three stat lines without the players names. Can you tell me who is who:

216 for 349 for 2,729 yards 62% completion rate 27 td's
151 for 261 for 1,973 yards 58% completion rate 10 td's
155 for 259 for 1,851 yards 60% completion rate 12 td's

Each of the above stat lines represent Tom Brandstater, Bill Volek, and David Carr's junior seasons. If you could not tell by now the top line is David Carr, the second line is Bill Volek, and the third line is Tom Brandstater. Tom is doing much better with respect to these other two QB's than many have come to perceive on the BarkBoard. Not only is he having a much better year than Volek did his junior year, but if Tom were to continue to play how he has the past two games he would end up with close to 20 td's, and 2500 yards passing on the season. In other words maybe Brandstater is not nearly as bad as many have made him out to be. Playing QB in college is a tough job. Many don't realize how hard it is to become the focal point of an offense. I am not making excuses as to why Brandstater's sophomore season went horribly wrong but instead am trying to get people to understand that he is headed in the right direction. In today's' era we expect a QB to step in and do the job right from the first snap. Honestly this is as unreal an expectation as one could have of a QB. Most college QB's do not step in and perform the way Tim Tebow has at Florida. Instead struggles are common for new QB's. Sometimes the QB cycle follows a different path as a QB has a solid first season and struggles his second year (See Jared Zabranski).

Brandstater has dealt with various situations since he took over at QB for the Bulldogs. I have to admit that I was one who wanted to see him replaced last season, but I failed to realize that Tom was not the only problem with our team last season. I wanted to put the blame on the guy who throws the ball without looking elsewhere. The fact of the matter is last season our receivers underachieved, our defense was atrocious, our offensive coordinator was lost, and our team as a whole was bad. To blame one man for the entire season is wrong and I am as guilty of that as the next Bulldog fan. Earlier this year Matt James wrote an article in which he apologized for the chastising of Brandstater in 2006. I did not go to the extremes James did but I do feel I should recant many of the things I said about Tom. He has played hard every game he has stepped on the field and he deserves some credit for the improvement of the team this season. Would any Bulldog fans have imagined being down to TAMU and Hawaii big only to come back and make it a game with our passing offense? To me that shows that Brandstater has improved far more than we give him credit for. He has finally began to look for receiver options two and three in the offense and can make the dump off throw underneath far better than he ever has.

However, I do see a problem with our offense headed into our final two games of the season and I am going to trust that our offensive coordinator will take care of it. The Bulldogs offense heavily relies on the run which is fine. The problem is that we sometimes fall in love with the run so much that we forget our QB can throw the ball. I fully expect J-Mac to throw the ball much earlier next game as Kansas State is susceptible to the passing game. I do not see Brandstater throwing for 300 yards, but he does not need to do so to win games. Brandstater needs to continue to be efficient in this offense in 2007 in order to lead the Dogs to victories. I am sure Tom has learned quite a bit in his two years as a starter. There is no reason to think that 2008 won't bring Tom his best season yet. After all both David Carr and Bill Volek had average junior years only to explode their senior season. Why can't Tommy do the very same? I believe and think he will and I hope that by now the rest of the Fresno State faithful have begun to realize the improvements Tom has made on the field. If you haven't then please take off your blinders because if you don't you are going to miss some good QB play in the next year.

The Four Quarter Requirement

2007-11-13T08:24:00.000-08:00

by nsc

Saturday night Fresno State mounted a comeback against Hawaii that many Bulldog fans did not believe was possible. Fresno State's offense had left many of us wondering what would happen if we fell behind a good offensive team by a large amount early in the game. Oregon jumped out to a insurmountable lead in the first half earlier this season and Hawaii looked as if they were on their way to doing the very same to Fresno State this past weekend. However, the 2007 Fresno State Bulldogs showed us that they are nothing like the team from last season. We all know last season a game such as the one vs.Hawaii would have ended with Fresno State losing by forty. In 2007 the Dogs fought back and lost by seven. While the comeback can be used as a great motivational tool in the locker room what the Dogs should learn from this experience is that it takes four solid quarters of football to win a game. Up until this point in the season you would be hard pressed to find a game that Fresno State played a solid four quarters in. Let's take a look at the season and see where exactly the Dogs may be able to make improvements to play a complete game.

The Bulldogs first challenge this season came from Texas A&M where the Dogs played a horrendous first half only to mount an impressive second half comeback. If the Dogs played a solid first half they walk away from the A&M game with a win. The following week the Dogs started slow once again against Oregon. Fresno State played a decent second half but found themselves too far behind to mount any kind of comeback. The three games after all told the same story. La. Tech showed us that the Dogs can play defense but they did not come out on offense until the second half. Against Nevada Fresno State opened up strong but played a shaky second half. The Dogs did the very same thing against Idaho and we all know what happened against Boise. Utah State brought the Dogs a very strong first half but the second half was a disappointment to say the least. Leading into Hawaii the Dogs had not put one complete game together and after the Dogs left Hawaii they still have not put one complete game together. The first half against Hawaii went as so many games do with the Warriors. The Warriors scored three touchdowns before Fresno State had even settled on to the football field. The Dogs mine as well have begun the game down 21-0, at least they would have had more time to come back in the game. My point is if Fresno State can come out with that instinct to take care of business right from the first snap they will win games more frequently.

Fresno State could have beaten Hawaii. Fresno State should have beaten Hawaii. Yes, with 22 injured players and Pascoe and Matthews on the sidelines Fresno State still should have walked out of that stadium with a victory. Unfortunately Fresno State did not win the game and they need to learn from this experience. Every Bulldog fan is tired of hearing how our team is young and will be great next year. The saying "Wait till next year" has been used by countless Dogs fans for the past five seasons. There is no more waiting, the time needs to be now for the Bulldogs. Fresno State has to learn and grow from this experience against Hawaii. Aside the Bulldogs game against Oregon this season they have been close in every game they have played. This team is a few plays from being 8-2, but they are not 8-2. However, Fresno State does have 2 games remaining. If the Dogs play a full four quarters in both of these games I fully expect them to end the season 8-4, one game better than I had predicted at the beginning of the season. An 8-4 record will lead the Dogs into the bowl season once again and will give them momentum heading into off-season recruiting. In other words the Bulldogs have an opportunity in front of them. If they handle their business in the final two games of the season they very well may be rewarded with a West coast bowl game that Bulldog fans will travel to in large numbers. But if the Bulldogs once again find a way to play incomplete games they will spend the bowl season watching from home, something seniors like Marcus Riley and Tyler Clutts do not want to experience again.

What We Learned in Hawaii

2007-11-12T09:04:00.000-08:00

In 2006 Hawaii came into Fresno and jumped out to a 28-7 lead before Bulldog fans could get comfortable. We all remember what Hawaii did from that point on as Colt Brennan tore Fresno apart en route to a 68-37 victory. The Bulldogs defense never seemed to get on track in that game and everyone in the stadium knew as soon as Fresno State fell behind by two touchdowns the game was over. The 2006 Bulldogs lacked heart. The 2006 Bulldogs lacked toughness on the football field. The 2006 Bulldogs did not have the talent to come back from a deficit of any margin. Saturday in Hawaii Fresno State once again fell behind by 21 points to the Warriors in the first quarter. It looked as if the Bulldogs would be blown out of Aloha stadium once again as trips to the island have never gone well for Fresno State. But something happened when the Warriors put their third touchdown on the scoreboard nine minutes into the game. Fresno State decided this game was not going to get out of hand. A.J. Jefferson returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown to cut the lead to 21-7. It was the second week in a row that Jefferson had done so on a kickoff return. Right before halftime Fresno State drove down field getting into the end zone to cut the lead to 31-16. While many of us felt good about what the Bulldogs did in the second quarter that would be nothing compared to what they did to Hawaii in the second half.

After numerous blown opportunities to close the gap Fresno State finally made a play we have not seen since the San Jose State game. Hawaii had the lead at 34-16 and Brennan was driving the Warriors for the killing score in the third quarter. Brennan fired a bullet over the middle that looked to be in stride with his receiver. The score would have been 41-16 and all but out of reach for Fresno State until Marcus Riley made what looked to be one of the most athletic interceptions ever at Fresno State. Many people probably do not realize how important that play was for Fresno State. The Bulldogs kept Hawaii out of the end zone the entire second half only allowing the Warriors three points. Fresno State was able to fight back and close the gap with one minute remaining in the game as they were down 37-30. Unfortunately the onside kick did not bounce Fresno State's way and they once again left Aloha stadium with a back breaking loss. Where Fresno State goes from here will be important to the future of this program. Fresno State has a bye week coming up followed by games against two opponents they can beat. If Fresno State can knock off Kansas State and New Mexico State they will finish 8-4 headed to a bowl game once again. I am holding out hopes that we can replace the Pac-10 in a bowl game somwhere on the West Coast here (Emerald or Las Vegas bowl) but any bowl is better than no bowl.

I realize that we have gone down the "This team is getting better" route thousands of times. This time around Fresno State has to move on and make that jump. The school cannot degress anymore. Fresno State in 2001 made a jump to a level many of us were not expecting. Today we know the talent on this team is there to become an elite team not only in the WAC but in the nation. Whether the Bulldogs do this or not truly falls on the shoulders of our coaching staff. J-Mac has given this team a life on offense we have not seen in many years. However, one improvement the Dogs are going to have to make is at the QB position. I do not mean they need to replace TB but instead they need to allow him to throw the ball much earlier in the game. He may not be 100% accurate but he has shown of late he can throw the ball when given the oportunity. Against Hawaii he finished 15-26 and had three balls thrown perfectly that were dropped. You can make the argument that he missed some throws so they cancel out, but I cannot recall many missed throws in the Hawaii game. His last two halfs where he was given the opportunity to throw the ball look like this: 22-33 5td's no int's. Those stats consist of Brandstater's first half against Utah State and his second half against Hawaii. In other words maybe Tom is ready to throw the ball more than the Bulldogs coaching staff is allowing him to do.

Losses hurt regardless of who they are against. Sometimes you can look at a loss as a turning point for a team while other times losses should just be forgotten as they hurt the program more than they will ever help the program. Fresno State must make Hawaii a turning point. The Dogs went into a hostile environment with ridiculous fans and should have left Aloha stadium with a win. They played defense when they had to and their offense made a comeback that many of us fans did not know was possible. The Bulldogs were down 37-16 and pulled within one TD. If they do not fumble on the opening drive in the second half who knows what happens in this game. As I said before this game must be used as a turning point for this team. Marcus Riley and the rest of the seniors have one home game left. They deserve our support when the Dogs take on Kansas State. I hope that the rest of the Bulldog fans feel as strongly as I do about this team and will be there two weeks from now when the Bulldogs knock off Kansas State. It would only be fair to those on this football team that have given their all for the valley and every fan in this city.

Instructions on Beating Hawaii

2007-11-09T15:31:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow night Fresno State will begin another compelling match up
with the Warriors of Hawaii. At first glance this game looks to be a
mismatch as Fresno State does not generally implore the type of
defense that can stop Hawaii. The Dogs tend to play a soft defense
that allows the five to seven yard route. Fresno State relies on it's
LB's and secondary to make tackles as soon as the ball is caught
(something they have not done too well this season). There is a way
to beat the Warriors and it was on display last season when the Oregon
State Beavers traveled to the island. True, Oregon State was quite
hot and had defeated a very talented USC team only weeks before, but
they ran the type of defense it took to stop the Warriors amazing
offense. While I can write down the steps to stopping Hawaii's run
and shoot offense it does not mean that they will necessarily work.
College football is a game of sixty minutes and Hawaii can adjust to
what a defense is doing as well as any other offense in the nation.
However, these are the steps I deem
necessary to knock off the Warriors on the island. I am sure you will
notice this is written like a recipe and rightfully so since
directions need to be followed in order to beat Hawaii.

1) Add a little pressure to Colt Brennan's passing attack- Oregon
State sacked Colt Brennan six times last season and forced him to
throw two int's. While Brennan still managed over 400 yards passing
the Warriors lost because Oregon State forced Brennan to throw the
ball much earlier than he anticipated. Brennan does not make many
mistakes and when he does defenses must take advantage of them.
Fresno State will have to find a way to pressure Brennan on every play
or he will sit back in the pocket and do whatever he pleases. If you
want proof of how good Brennan is when he has time to throw watch the
highlights of the 2006 Fresno State-Hawaii game. That game should be
used as an example of what not to do when playing Hawaii.

2) Mix in physical play from the corner position - Hawaii loves the
underneath routes. This team uses five to seven yard routes to create
thirty yard gains. Grice-Mullin, Bess, Rivers, and Hawthorne (yes
they have four accomplished receivers) are all capable of turning a
small route into a large gain. If the Dogs do not get up close to the
line and knock these receivers off their routes right from the start
it will be a long day for the defense in Hawaii. True Hawaii is a
place where vacations are wonderful, but the Dogs defense will
experience a nightmare of a game if they do not play physical football
against Hawaii. Playing ten yards off the pass and allowing the
receivers to run underneath routes untouched will not get the job done
Saturday night.

3) Throw in a little blitzing from all over the field - Fresno will
have to disguise it's defensive game plan to in a sense trick Hawaii.
The Bulldogs will have to make the Warriors believe one man is
blitzing when someone else is altogether. Fresno will have to bring
the safeties at times. On other plays they will have to bring the
corners. Still the LB's will have to be forced to blitz as well. The
key is to sack Brennan or force turnovers. For a team that has one
interception the entire year they will need a breakout performance
resulting in at least two interceptions if they hope to beat Hawaii.

4) Add in a sprinkle of ball control - Fresno State loves to run the
ball. While Matthews may not be 100% for this game he is scheduled to
play along with Miller and Pascoe. Our offensive line will not be
100% due to all of the injuries suffered to this point but they have
played together long enough to know what blocking schemes are what.
Fresno State will have to do everything in their power to control the
clock. If the Dogs do not hold the ball for at least ten minutes
longer than the Warriors they can kiss a victory goodbye. Hawaii
scores fast and the only way to combat that type of scoring is to hold
on to the ball for long drives. To see how this is done watch the
super bowl that took place in the early 90's between the Buffalo Bills
and the New York Giants. The Bills held the ball for all of 19
minutes in that game and still should have won. That is the kind of
effort it is going to take from Fresno State to win tomorrow.

5) Last but not least avoid mixing in turnovers - The Warriors will
have the ball enough to score fifty points if their offense is
clicking. The last thing Fresno State can do is allow the Warriors to
touch the ball more than after the Dogs score or punt. Last year
Fresno State turned the ball over three times en route to the 68-37
bombing they took. This year in order for the game to play out
differently the Dogs must reverse the turnover story. If Fresno State
cannot take the ball away from Hawaii and continues to give the ball
to the Warriors as if Christmas came early, there is absolutely no way
Fresno State will be close in this game.

I realize these steps are easier said than done. Stopping the run and
shoot offense is next to impossible, but it can be done. As I said
before Oregon State did it last season and if the Dogs can follow that
defensive plan they will have a shot in this game. If the Dogs do not
put pressure on Brennan and allow the Warriors to run untouched across
the field look forward to turning this one off at halftime. We just
do not have the type of offense that can come back from a large
deficit and that is exactly what Hawaii will try to do to us in the
first half.

Random Thoughts

2007-11-08T12:33:00.000-08:00

by nsc

Each time I write a blog on Fresno State I try to be as objective as I possibly can. I try my best not to use any personal bias when I predict scores or how the flow of a game will go. I try to analyze each aspect of what a team brings and in turn compare each team's strengths and weaknesses against one another. I do not predict scores or discuss a game based on how much I love the Fresno State Bulldogs or how much I dislike the Hawaii Warriors. Instead I give those who read the blog a fair assessment of what could happen in each football game the Bulldogs play in. But today I don't want to discuss the Hawaii game. Today I don't want to think about the 6-3 record the Dogs have or what bowl game they could possibly play in. Today I don't want to assess the positives and negatives of the Bulldog football program. Today I would rather focus on random thoughts across the sports world. I like blogging about the Dogs but every now and then it is nice to have some fun with what you write about. So without further adieu here are my random thoughts on the sportsworld:

1) 350 million dollars for A-Rod? Are you kidding me? Who wants to pay 350 million dollars for a guy who has gone 0 for his last 27 with men in scoring position in the playoffs? Knowing my luck my Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (yeah what a name) will pick him up so he can go 0 for 10 in the playoffs this season as well.

2) The valley playoffs start tonight in Fresno when Buchanan takes on Sanger. At least there will be no complaints that Fresno fans can't make the Bulldog game because of a muy importante high school football game in the valley.

3) Apparantly going undefeated doesn't warrant you a number one seed in the valley playoffs as well. Maybe the C.I.F. is following the college football mold a bit too closely as El Diamante was awarded the one seed at 9-1 while Tulare Union went 10-0 and was granted the 2 seed. While there doesn't seem to be much of a difference El Diamante does not play in the first round and Tulare Union does. Wow, see what playing Clovis West gets you in the central section. El Diamante is rewarded for losing to Clovis West as the C.I.F. stated "Hey at least they played Clovis West, who cares if they won the game".

4) If Ohio State makes the college football championship I might ram my head into my bedroom door. I was as excited as the next guy to find out that Ohio State was rebuilding, only to be screwed when they began the season 8-0. Our only hope in this college football season is for Michigan to knock them off at the end of the season. Yes, the same Michigan team that loss to App. State. If Michigan can't do it then look forward to another wonderful championship game with an overhyped Big-10 team.

5) Fresno State begins it's basketball season tomorrow night as they take on Portland State at the Save Mart Center. However, you may not know that it's a game that counts when an announced crowd of 9,000 turns out to be about 4,000 fans too many.

6) Wait a minute, did another prospect commit to a Pac-10 school instead of Fresno State? Well that just goes to show you that playing time isn't all that important to most of these prospects. Instead it may be that much more fun to ride the bench at a Pac-10 school because they have and I quote "Great Facilities".

7) Oh did you hear that? Another group of Fresno State fans just complained as to why they cannot make the football games in the valley. Amongst the reasons given the most important one I can recall is "Fresno State doesn't win enough for me to be in the seats".

8) Why is it when you predict your team to lose a game you are not supporting your team but when you pick them to win that very same game you are crazy? If you want any further proof check out the difference between responses to my blog on the Bulldogs and Warriors game and what responses Gator received. I said the Dogs lose, and Hawaii fans said I don't support our team. Gator said that we would win and they called him crazy. Weird bunch of fans over there really.

9) This just in: When you are rivals you generally use the word hate to describe how you feel. Ask a Florida fan what he/she thinks about Georgia. You think they will say "I dislike them but I don't hate them because they are in our conference". Fans don't truly hate the other school, they just hate that side of the football rivalry. Fans shouldn't take the word hate to heart, it's all in good fun when it comes to college football.

10) Last but not least one of the many reasons why college football is a much better sport than the NFL will ever be: New England @ Indianapolis last weekend. While the game was in week nine there is no doubt that one of these two teams will win the Super Bowl this season. How is that fun? How is knowing these two teams are far and away better than the rest of the NFL a great time? Yes, the NFL has a playoff but what's the point? At least in college football with four weeks of games left we still have absolutely no idea who will play in the championship. The NFL speaks of true parity. Well check out college football this season, there is your parity in a nutshell. Well that and the fans in college are a much more lively bunch.

If anyone has any random thoughts to share let me know. It's always great to hear what people think about the sportsworld even when it doesn't have to do with the Fresno State Bulldogs.

Hawaii vs. Fresno State - Position, Individual and Unit Comparisons

2007-11-07T12:43:00.000-08:00

Fresno State is racked with injuries, so this comparison will be slightly different, looking at probable starters by position. We’ve met the Rainbows 39 times, beaten them 20 and have the awful 1985 game as the lone tie. The Bulldogs are 1-5 on the islands since ’95, but did beat them in Aloha the last time there.

Quarterbacks- remains the same; TB is healthy, as is Colt Brennan. The numbers here are likewise straightforward. Brennan is passing for 405 yards per game (2nd NCAA), has 26 passing touchdowns (tied-5th NCAA), and has completed 225 of his 328 attempts for a 68.6 passing completion percentage, and 8.6 yards per attempt. He has thrown 11 interceptions and been sacked 12 times. As a scoring offense, Hawai’i has scored 50 or more points in every home game this year, and no team has kept them under 42 points on the road. For Fresno State, Tom Brandstater has passed for 182 yards per game, has passed for 9 touchdowns and been intercepted 5 times. He has completed 140 out of 233 attempts for a completion percentage of 60.1, and is averaging 7 yards per attempt.
Advantage- Obviously, Hawai’i’s Brennan has ridiculous stats, and while much of the heisman talk has died down some, his numbers have still been video-game-like against every team they’ve played. Still, there are some interesting numbers to look at. Brennan and Hawai’i have faced the 48th, 84th, 96th, 102nd, and 103rd ‘best’ passing defenses in the nation, not including the 74th and 120th best passing D’s in the FCS; the best pass D they have faced all year has been UNLV who allow 211.9 pypg (but they still dropped 49 points on them). Fresno State comes into the game allowing only 192.9 passing yards per game, which is 24th in the country, so this will be the best pass D they will have faced all year (and will prepare them for Boise State at 17th nationwide with 186.4 pypg). This represents an advantage of sorts, but obviously not sufficient to expect to do much more but try to hold the Rainbows to under 50 points for the first time at home all year. The losses of OGs Popovich and McDowell, along with C Joe Bernardi, will mean their backups, likely Masse, Meeks, and Harris, may not provide the same protection to TB as the starters and he may be under more pressure.

Running Backs- This unit is completely torn up for the Bulldogs, which is obviously a huge problem since establishing the running game is always strategy #1 for Fresno State. Both Ryan Mathews and Lonyae Miller, the stars in the offensive backfield and 5th and 9th in the WAC in yard per game, respectively, are questionable for Saturday, and backup Jamal Rashad is out. If Mathews and Miller don’t play, the running game will largely fall on the shoulders of Clifton Smith, whose 40.8 yards per game comes off 62 carries and a 5.9 yard per carry average. He is coming off a career game with 126 rushing yards against Utah State (though he does have the memorable 189 yard punt-return game against Weber State from 2005). Also likely to become more important with the leaders out is Anthony Harding, whose 19.2 ypg average and low 3 yard per carry average would likely rise with more touches. On the Hawai’i side, Kealoha Pilares is their leading rusher with 36.8 yards per game on 50 caries, for 5.9 yards per carry. Also in the mix is Leon Wright-Jackson with 21.9 yards per game and also with 5.9 ypc.
Advantage- Even without Miller and Mathews, the Fresno State running attack should be stronger than Hawai’i’s, even if only because the ‘Bows run the ball so rarely and pretty much only to keep defenses honest. The concern is Hawai’i’s rushing defense, which is 17th in the country and 1st in the WAC, only allowing 102.5 yards per game on the ground. That surprising tenacity should cause problems establishing the running game and keep Smith and Harding from establishing the run, getting first downs, eating up clock and keeping their offense off the field as effectively as a healthy team might. I say that if either Miller or Mathews is able to play, it makes a big difference in the game’s outcome.

Recievers/ Tight Ends – Already a problematic unit for the Bulldogs, ranking 94th in the NCAA with 188.9 receiving yards per game, now that Chastin West is out, and Moore is in but playing hurt, along with the loss of Shannon Dorsey, it all puts the Bulldogs at an even greater disadvantage. But the biggest loss would be that of Bear Pascoe, whose 462 receiving yards this season is 11th in the country among tight ends, and who is probable for the game. Hawaii is a completely different story, with Ryan Grice-Mullen pulling in 952 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns, Davon Bess 748 and 9 touchdowns, and C.J. Hawthorne 519 yrds and 5 TDs. This is in contrast to Moore’s 315yrds and Seyi Ajirotutu’s 266. Hawaii is getting 532 yards per game, and the majority of it from this unit.
Advantage – Hawai'i. When a player has more ypg than the opposing team, you know you’re in trouble. When most of the starters are out or playing hurt for the game, you are really in trouble. But Fresno State does have one advantage- the aforementioned passing defense, which is one of the few areas not plagued with injury, with the exceptions of Jason Roberts and Terrence Dennis. While the D-line is really banged up, the passing D that is one of the best in the nation is mostly healthy, which might be expected to keep the UH passing game in check. A defense allowing 194 receiving ypg against an offense generating 461 ypg puts the offense in the advantage, but makes it more likely that they won’t score as much or as often as they have against other opponents.

Defenses- I have talked a lot already about the defenses for both sides, but a more detailed examination of each is revealing. Hawai’i is allowing the 2nd fewest points per game in the WAC after Boise at 22.4, while Fresno State is 3rd in conference allowing 26/game; nether is in the top 25 nationally in scoring D. Of course the injuries to the Fresno state line stand out strongly, with Ahijah Lane, Jason Roberts, and Ikenna Ike out or playing hurt, and Machado, Schenck, Talyor Smith, and Austin Raphael all out, meaning the Hawai’i running game can be more effective. Also a concern is the fact that the Bulldogs have only recorded a single interception all year, compared to Hawai’i’s 17 which is tied for the WAC lead. Interestingly, Fresno State has only allowed their opponents 78 first downs all year, 21st fewest in the nation. This may be particularly relevant against the Rainbows as their major efforts will be to control the game and have our D on the field as long as possible.
Advantage- Hawai’i. Their ground D is solid; our aerial D is solid. Fresno State does have certain situational advantages but overall the Hawai’i defense has allowed fewer points, yards and touchdowns than have the Bulldogs.

Special Teams- Fresno State is 9th in the country in average yards per kick return with 16.22, while Hawaii is 15th with 13.94. Fresno State’s returns are all Clifton Smith, while Devon Bess is the leader for the rainbows. A.J. Jefferson averages 36 yards per kickoff return, 2nd nationwide, while Hawai’i’s Ryan Mouton is tied for 8th with 31 yards per return; both have returned a kickoff for a touchdown. Hawai’i’s kicker Dan Kelly is tied for 30th in the NCAA with 78 points and is in 5th place for longest kick with a 54-yarder; Clint Stitser is tied for 61st with 62, though he is tied for 9th nationwide for distance with a 52-yard kick this year. Neither is in the top 50 in terms of field goal percentage.
Advantage- Fresno State. While both teams are in the top ten nationwide in several special teams categories, Fresno State is clearly ahead statistically. Jefferson is particularly impressive in returning kickoffs, and is a major threat for starting field position.

Coaches- Fresno State’s Pat “the Lineman” Hill is 82-54 (.658) coming into Saturday’s game. He’s 59-26 against the WAC, and 29-38 away from Bulldog Stadium. June “Screwdriver” Jones is 72-40 (.556) with a home record of 53-20, and is 43-24 in conference. Jones is 7-5 off a bye, which they are coming into this game.
Advantage- Fresno State’s Pat Hill is willing to take on anyone, anytime, anywhere, and will have his team more than ready for the #14 Rainbows of Hawai’i. Though there have been some questions as to his leadership by various fans of late, most concur that there are few who would prefer another at the reigns in a big game like this. June Jones, on the other hand, is a great coach, but does have Jeff Tedford to thank for being only #2 on the list of ‘good-coaches-who-are-also-complete-assholes.’

“Taste of the Town”- It’s Hawaii vs. California (State), Oahu vs. the San Joaquin Valley, Manoa vs. Fresno… never any love lost between these two schools or regions, and plenty interesting about both. Lets start with food. California produces its own meat, doesn’t get it shipped from ‘the mainland’. But, the seafood isn’t so great in the Valley, while you can probably get some bang-up sushi in the islands. But, they might put spam in it, which wouldn’t be fun. Can you get a big steak in Hawai’i? Not so much. But they do have smoking-hot women. So does Fresno, but… not really the same as Hawai’i.
Advantage- Fresno. I’m going with the place with good looking women and I can get a steak. Seriously, since there’s a lot of trouble I can get into with a post-colonial discourse here, I’ll just say that as cool as Hawai’i is, sun, surf and sand are sweet and all but we can get that in the Valley, too. I’ve made it abundantly clear elsewhere who my biggest rival is, but for most it’s Hawai’i, and all the Wahines out there aren’t going to sway Bulldog fans.

Conclusion- Milk Can and the 152 aside, this is Fresno State’s biggest conference rival, and they are at their highest perch ever, ready to be taken down a notch. Still, the Bulldogs are playing hurt and the Warriors may have their best team in a decade or more. No clear, rational analysis can objectively suggest that the Bulldogs are in a position to knock off the Rainbows from their lofty status as this year’s big Kahuna in the WAC; however, this is the part of the study where I radically depart from rational analysis and dissolve into ludicrous speculation and indefensible flights of fancy. Behind a fired-up TB playing the game of his life, the Bulldog secondary slows down the regularly high-flying Hawai’i offense while the running game and big plays by Smith allow the ‘dogs to match Brennan touchdown-for-touchdown until the final drive to secure the upset. My call is: Bulldogs 52 - Warriors 49.

Hawaii's Schedule Hurting Credibility

2007-11-07T11:35:00.000-08:00

by nsc

It is not often that a team begins the season 8-0 as Hawaii has. The problem is that Hawaii is viewed as a team who has scheduled down in order to get to where they are today. With remaining home games against Fresno State, Boise State, Washington and a road game at Nevada Hawaii does have a chance to run the table and finish 12-0 this season. The question is: Will that be enough to get the Warriors into a BCS game? If the BCS rankings have anything to say about it the answer is a difinitive no and would you really be able to argue this decision? Could you make the argument that a school who has played two Division 1AA schools and has a schedule littered with teams who have won two games or less should be a BCS qualifier? Here in lays the problem with the Warriors. They have all the talent in the world on offense and their defense does just enough to get them wins. But these wins are coming against sub-par competition. Even if the Warriors knock off the Broncos of Boise State later this season and finish the year undefeated a marquee win against a WAC school does not speak volumes to the rest of the college football world. At the same time what does going undefeated with such a soft schedule say to the rest of college football?

Pat Hill has always believed to be the best you have to beat the best. In Fresno the Bulldogs take on schools from across the nation and have received rave reviews from all directions. Although Fresno State has struggled against BCS competition the past two seasons the Dogs are still viewed as a team that has the talent to knock anyone off at any point in the season. Fresno State has not began a season 6-0 since 2001, yet every season they are considered a team who has the opportunity to make a BCS run. The reason behind this is the Bulldogs schedule up when they play out of conference. Instead of continually playing Div. 1AA oponents the Bulldogs take on the elite teams in the nation. In 2005 the Dogs played Oregon and USC. IN 2006 the Dogs played Oregon and LSU. In 2007 the Dogs once again played Oregon but this time add Texas A&M and Kansas State to the schedule. 2008 will have it's challenges as well as Fresno State will play UCLA and Kansas State on the road while Wisconsin travels to Fresno. With an out of conference schedule such as this Fresno State sets them selves up to be a part of the national picture if they ever make any kind of run. That is the reason why in 2001 the Dogs shot up the charts so quickly before their devastating loss to Boise State. Wins over Wisconsin, Colorado, and Oregon State will help a team's image to voters, something Hawaii is struggling to do in 2007.

Hawaii has had a magical start to the 2007 season. They have eaked out close wins over both San Jose State and La. Tech in overtime. The Warriors have destroyed all other teams they have played to this point. But looking back at their schedule if the Warriors had lost any of these games they would not have been considered a threat in the BCS picture. In contrast let's take a look at Fresno State's 2005 season. The Dogs lost their second game of the year 37-34 to Oregon. From that point on Fresno State ran off seven wins in a row and traveled to USC with the #16 ranking in the nation. Had Fresno State pulled off the monumental upset at USC they very well could have qualified for a BCS game at the end of the season even with one loss on their record. What it all comes down to in college football is credibility. Fresno State may have been down for the past few seasons but the nation has the view that Fresno State is the type of mid-major that can challenge you. Boise State is slowly achieving this same status after their upset of Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl last season. Hawaii however continually lags in the nation's eyes.

Hawaii has built an offense that most teams (including BCS schools) cannot stop. The Warriors continually pressure defenses into making decisions on who they are going to cover play after play. The reason Hawaii averages 50 points a game is because they take advantage of mismatches all over the field. The Warriors try to get a LB to cover one of their speedy receivers, something that is nearly impossible to do. Unfortunately Hawaii will never get credit for being a great team unless they beat someone of worth in the process. The Warriors schedule in 2007 has left fans of opposing teams upset. These fans have no desire to see a team schedule the way the Warriors have and be rewarded by achieving the BCS dollars. If this were to happen it would prove that a team's schedule doesn't matter. Instead all that matters is making it through the season undefeated. With that thought in mind teams such as Fresno State look ridiculous for playing the teams they do because there is no reward in the end. Hawaii may go undefeated this season and quite possibly will qualify for a BCS bowl. However, until Hawaii makes a statement against a team the nation respects they will always be the team that took the easy road. And as well know the easy road never garnered any team respect regardless of what sport is being played.

The Hawaii Challenge

2007-11-06T07:32:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me knows the hatred I have for the University of Hawaii. I think all true Fresno State fans hold a hated for the Warriors that cannot be rivaled by any other team. Hawaii has been a rival to the Bulldogs in every sport for as long as I can remember. If it isn't football then it's basketball. If it isn't basketball then it's baseball. If it isn't baseball then it's women's softball and so on. There is absolutely no love lost on the field of play when it comes to Fresno State and Hawaii. Pat Hill is known for taking his foot off of the gas pedal when Fresno State jumps out to a big lead, that is of course unless the Dogs are playing Hawaii. Hawaii on the other hand tends to score uncontrollably regardless of who is on the opposite side of the field. Saturday Fresno State faces one of the toughest challenges of the season when they travel to Hawaii to take on the Warriors. Fresno State has not fared well on the island the last twenty years. However the Dogs did win their last game in Hawaii during the 2005 season. In that game the Bulldogs used a strong defensive performance to hold a rather inexperienced Colt Brennan and his offense to 13 points. This year the story will be much different. Fresno State will be at an decided disadvantage if for no other reason than the list below:

2007 Bulldog Injuries

LB Ahijah Lane - starter - completely out
OG Cole Popovich - starter - playing hurt
DT Jason Roberts - starter - completely out
DE Ikenna Ike - starter - completely out
OG Adam McDowell - starter - completely out
RB Lonyae Miller - starter - may return
RB Ryan Mathews - starter - status conditional
C Joe Bernardi - starter - completely out
WR Chastin West - starter - completely out
WR Marlin Moore - starter - playing back in
LB Ryan Machado - backup - completely out
LB Ryan McKinley - backup - playing back in
TE/HB Isaac Kinter - backup - playing well now
LB Nico Herron - backup - may be called in
LB Robert Schenck - backup - completely out
RB Jamal Rashad - backup - completely out
DE Taylor Smith - backup - completely out
CB Will Harding - backup - status unknown
WR Shannon Dorsey - backup - completely out
S Terrence Dennis - true frosh - completely out
LB Austin Raphael - true frosh - completely out
OT Eric Sproal - true frosh - completely out
(Thanks to BarkBoard Poster ARX for the list provided above)

The Bulldogs will head into the game against Hawaii missing numerous contributors who would have had the opportunity to make a difference in a game of this magnitude. With all of these injuries the Dogs will count on many second and third team players to come in and do their very best to stop the Warriors potent passing attack. This game could end many different ways but below is how I feel it will end given the state of the Bulldogs at the present time.

Fresno State will continue to try and control the clock against Hawaii. However, if Matthews, Miller, and Pascoe are not on the field I have no idea how the Dogs will be able to do so. Clifton Smith has done a great job filling in at RB but lacks the strength to take a pounding for the entire game. Anthony Harding will spell Smith when Smith needs a breather. While Harding can take a pounding he seems to lack the vision that both Smith and Matthews have. Fresno State is not going to be able to sustain a drive if Tom Brandstater cannot complete third down passes. We will continually be facing third and long in this game due to the state of our running game so once again we will be relying on our QB to get us over the hump. Hopefully J-Mac will come up with various creative plays to keep Hawaii's defense on it's heels because if he doesn't the Dogs will have very little chance to be successful on offense.

Hawaii's offense will score and will score often. Fresno State's corners tend to give far too much of a cushion and Hawaii takes advantage of quick short routes. The Dogs will allow Hawaii the five yard route because they always seem to. I expect Hawaii to score at least fifty this weekend on the island because our offense is missing too much to be successful and our defense will be on the field too long to stop the Warriors consistently. I do believe our special teams returners such as A.J. Jefferson will give us great field position. He will have a chance to return plenty of kickoffs as Hawaii will get in the end zone often. I don't believe Smith will be much of an advantage on punt returns because he won't be fielding many punts in the first place. With all of this being said I see a game where Fresno State comes out and fights hard. Unfortunately I do not think the Dogs will be able to recover from their massive injury list and will lose this game convincingly. This is not a knock to the Bulldogs. They have played their hearts out this season and I believe they will fight hard once again come Saturday night. Sometimes injuries catch up to you and there is literally nothing you can do about it. That is where the Bulldogs currently stand. If the Dogs were healthy I believe this would be one of the better games in the 2007 season. Unfortunately that is not the case and it is going to take the Dogs best game of the season to keep this one close.

Hawaii - 51
Fresno State - 24

The Walking Wounded

2007-11-05T07:39:00.000-08:00

As the injured list continues to grow for Fresno State I have begun to wonder if God has a vendetta against the Bulldogs. I am not sure if I have ever seen a college football team ravished so badly by injuries. To really understand how bad the injuries have been just take a look at what Fresno State has gone through since Summer practices began:

Ahijah Lane: Out for year
Chastin West: out for year (both occur before first game of the season)

When the season finally began the Dogs looked to move past early injuries to play solid football. However the first two injuries on the list were merely a precursor to what would occur during the course of the season. After West was lost for the season Bulldog players began dropping like flies as you can see in the list provided below:

Cole Popovich and Adam Mcdowell - Both lost off of the offensive line at same time
Joe Bernardi - out for season
Lonyae Miller - missed past two games due to bruised knee
Marlon Moore - missed three games due to ankle sprain
Jason Roberts - Out for season
Ryan Machado - Out for season
Ryan Matthews - Status unsure for Hawaii, possibly out
Bear Pascoe - Status unsure for Hawaii, possibly out
Jason Shirley - not injured, however suspended from team for disciplinary reasons
Chris Lewis - school related suspension for entire season

I am sure there are plenty of injuries to this team that I have missed. However, if you take a look at that list you will find at least seven key players on the Bulldogs team that will not return or have missed extensive time on the field this season. It's one thing to deal with the loss of one impact player but it is an entirely different challenge to deal with the loss of five impact players. Lane was a defensive leader. West was the one experienced WR on the roster. Shirley was the run stopper in the middle. Bernardi, Popovich, and Mcdowell helped compose a potent front line that opened up the run and protected Brandstater well. If Matthews and Pascoe do not play against Hawaii do I even have to mention how important they are to our offense? With all of these injuries hitting Fresno State in one season the only thing left to wonder is: Where does this team go from here?

Although Fresno State sits at 6-3 their victories have come against sub-par competition for the most part (aside Nevada who is turning into quite a formidable team down the stretch). If you take a look at the season and how many injuries the Dogs have endured they should feel quite good about where they sit today. They have been blown out in one game to date and that was against a team who very well may play for the national championship. I realize that the Dogs may end up 7-5 this season but the effort to win is there. The Dogs put everything on the line when they step on to the field. This weekend against Hawaii if the Dogs leave the island with a bad loss it will not be because of effort. Our entire team is missing important pieces and if we go into Hawaii without our #1 RB and our #1 WR we will have very little chance to sustain a drive. Hawaii will spend all day on the field and will burn our defense merely because they will be dead tired.

Where the Bulldogs go from this point on will be interesting to see. Fresno State will have to use as many backups as we as fans have possibly ever seen. Whether it works or not remains to be seen but to get down on this team with so many parts missing is wrong. This team could be much worse than 6-3 right now but they are finding ways to win games that they could not do last season. In other words we as fans should continue to support Fresno State because the one thing you cannot plan for is injuries. We cannot blame the Bulldogs for getting hurt or missing the season because of something they have no control over. Fresno State is having what many coaches call a "Character Building" season. My goal today was to point out how many important players the Bulldogs have lost throughout this injury filled 2007 football season. I hope many Bulldog fans will read this and realize how hard it is to win when you are missing so many key players. Instead of putting this team down because of their efforts on the field maybe we as fans should realize that the Dogs are doing their best with what they have to work with. The results may not end up where we want them to but remember that it is not due to the lack of effort, heart, or team character. Sometimes things happen outside of the realm that can be controlled and that is exactly what is occurring at Fresno State in 2007. This is a good team who may become great next season. Don't lose faith, one day the injuries will not kill us and we will be able to play at full strength once again. Unfortunately we will not see that again this season.

Fresno State vs. Utah State- Unit Comparisons

2007-11-02T13:15:00.000-07:00

Quarterback – Fresno State is putting up 30.5 points per game, while Utah State is getting 20 ppg. Fresno State ’s 196 passing yards per game is better than Utah State ’s 145. Touchdown Tommy has a QB rating of 125, and has completed 127 of his 215 attempts for a percentage of 59.1. He is averaging 188.9 yards per game, and has 7 TDs and 4 picks. Leon Jackson, QB1 for the Aggies, has a QB rating of 120.5, and has completed 65.2% of his passes for 120 yards per game. He has 4 touchdowns and interceptions.
Advantage - Fresno State’s Tommy B. Every category has Brandstater ahead and he looks to have good situational kung-fu.

Running Backs- Fresno State’s Ryan Mathews is 4th in the WAC in yards per game with 80.6; Lonyae Miller is 8th in the conference with 57.4 ypg. As a unit, Fresno State is 3rd in the WAC with 1520 total rushing yards, 190 per game. Derrvin Speight is Utah State ’s leading rusher, and has 40.9 yard per game on 80 carries. Their rushing unit has 118 yards per game, averaging 3 yards per carry.
Advantage - Fresno State. Ranked 26th in the country in rushing yards per game, ahead of USC, Texas , and Florida , Fresno State is good at pounding the ball on the ground. Utah State is 21st from last in yards per game.

Receivers - Fresno State and Utah State both rank near the bottom of the WAC in receiving yards, Fresno State with 202.1 ypg and Utah state dead last with 145.1. Utah State ’s leading receiver, Kevin Robinson, has 54.4 yards per game, one ahead of Bear Pascoe. Beside Pascoe the Bulldogs have Seyi Ajirotutu, Marlon Moore, and Sharrod Davis, each of whom has more than 35 ypg; Robinson is Utah State ’s only receiver with over 35.
Advantage - Fresno State. With a variety of options for TB, Fresno State should be able to move the ball well on the ground and in the air. While neither team is in the top 25 in receiving stats, Fresno State is well ahead of Utah State in this category as well.

Defense - Fresno State is allowing 25.9 ppg, and 400 yards per game. Utah State is giving up 35 points a game and a conference-leading 456 yards a game. The Bulldogs are allowing 190.25 ypg in the air and 209.8 on the ground; for the aggies, its 285 in the air and 198 on the ground. They have 9 picks to Fresno State ’s 1.
Advantage - Fresno State. The interceptions are worrisome and they do have an advantage in terms of rushing defense; however, the overall statistics are largely in Fresno State ’s favor.

Coaching- Utah State ’s coach is Brent Guy, and he is 4-27 both in his career and at Utah State . One of those four wins was against Fresno State . Otherwise, you got to give the advantage to Pat Hill, who cannot help but to be mindful of the taint of last year’s loss. Hill is taking a lot of heat from some Bulldog fans, but I am not one of them.
Advantage- Fresno State. Revenge is a dish best served cold. It is very cold in… Bulldog Stadium?

“Taste of the Town”- this is a new segment where I examine the ‘intangibles’ of the two teams and their communities. Mostly I wish I were eating food in different college towns across the country like that ESPN guy, so I’ll in include a section where I look at food and chicks in each place. We all know Fresno has some good looking girls and great food. Does Utah State ? No. Plus, does Logan have anything great to offer? I’m thinking no. (this segment promises to get more interesting with other opponents)
Advantage- Fresno. Logan is probably about as exciting as, I don’t know, something really boring. And probably has a lot of uggies. Tell me if I’m wrong.

Conclusion - Fresno State should not lose this game. But, they should not have lost last year either. This game has revenge all over the place, and Fresno will come out angry and make a statement on both sides of the ball. No disrespect to Utah State, but they wouldn't go .500 in the Big Sky (okay, maybe a little disrespect to Utah State). We did lose to them last year, but that was a pit of sorrow from which we will someday recover. This year is a different story- 52-6

So far I am 3-1 su, 1-3 ats.

A Letter to Utah State

2007-11-02T07:45:00.000-07:00

Dear Utah State fans,

While it has been a tough season for you up there in Logan I have to say there is a part of me that feels sorry for your team. You currently sit at 0-8 on the season and have to travel to Fresno State to take on a Bulldogs team who will be looking for revenge after the debacle that occurred last season. As if last year's loss wasn't enough apparently your players celebrated a bit too much in the eyes of the Bulldogs making tomorrow's game that much more important to every player who sat through the game last year. Sometimes you play a game against a team who is down and out which makes it that much easier to walk away with the upset. Last season that worked out well for you as the Dogs were definitely down. However, you ran into Fresno State at the wrong time this season. The Bulldogs lost to Boise State last week and will be ready to clear their minds of that game. That is why I truly feel sorry for the Utah State players and fans. Tomorrow is going to be ugly in every sense of the word.

I usually am very reserved when it comes to so called "smack" talking before a football game is played. So much can go wrong on the field of play that no outcome is ever guaranteed. However, tomorrow's outcome was decided on October 7, 2006. As soon as Utah State ran into the locker rooms shouting and screaming about their so called "Biggest" win in history, tomorrow's game was decided. Tomorrow Fresno State will run over you. Tomorrow Fresno State will do whatever they please on the field. Kevin Robinson may be a great football player but even he will push the Bulldogs to turn this game into a blowout. You see Robinson is from our little valley here in Fresno and our players will do everything in their power to show Robinson that he made a mistake by not staying here in Fresno. Tomorrow Fresno State will throw and run the ball when they want to. Tomorrow the Bulldogs will not get caught looking towards Hawaii. Hawaii is an afterthought because of what happened against Utah State in 2006. If there ever was a game on Fresno State's schedule that speaks of a blowout it is this game against your Aggies of Utah State.

You can take consolation in the fact that it will not always be this bad for your Aggies. College football is a cyclical sport, even the worst teams find a way to improve over time. Utah State will get better one day making these horrible seasons much easier to forget. Unfortunately this season is quite ugly for Utah State and tomorrow it is going to hit a season low. Tomorrow the Bulldogs are going to play the Aggies as if they were LSU. Tomorrow Fresno State is going to come onto the field against Utah State and treat them as if they were the defending national champions. Tomorrow Utah State is going to come on to the football field with a target squarely on the middle of their backs. You can beat a team when they are down, just as the Aggies did to the Bulldogs last season. I give Utah State credit for having the game plan to beat us last season, but this season will be a different story. This Bulldogs team is ready to come out and make a statement the week before the Hawaii game. It does not matter if Brandstater or Colburn plays QB. It does not matter if Matthews or Miller walks onto the field as our RB. It does not matter if Clifton Smith, A.J. Jefferson, or Devon Wylie return kicks. The Bulldogs will win this game and it will be quite ugly.

I rarely talk any kind of game smack to opposing teams. However, I feel just like the Fresno State Bulldogs do. There is a lot of pent up frustration inside and it needs to get out. Unfortunately that is going to happen against your Aggies of Utah State. If you have the opportunity to watch the game I would skip it. I have no doubts that this may be the kind of game you do not want to read about Sunday in the paper. Fresno State has something to prove when they step on to the field against the Aggies tomorrow at 2pm. I am willing to bet that the Bulldogs get the job done, and the score reflects something us Bulldog fans saw in 2001 when the Dogs knocked off the Aggies 70-21. I promise you Aggie fans, this one is going to be ugly. I just hope you are ready for what the Bulldogs are going to bring to the football field.

The Difference Between 9-3 and 7-5

2007-10-31T06:48:00.000-07:00

Four games remain for the Fresno State Bulldogs. All four of these games will challenge the Bulldogs in one way or another. Each team remaining on their schedule does not provide the same type of challenge. None the less each team will force Fresno State to play a different style of football to win the game. New Mexico State and Hawaii run similar offenses so the game plan against both teams will have to be quite similar. Kansas State is a defensive team that will force the Dogs to throw and Utah State will come into Bulldog stadium with absolutely nothing to lose. In other words Fresno State had better be ready for the final four games of the season. If they aren't they very well could lose each game remaining on their schedule. While four losses is possible it is not probable. A Probable finish for Fresno State would be 7-5 with wins over NMSU and Utah State and losses to Kansas State and Hawaii. However, Fresno State has an outside shot at winning their final four games. The only way that is going to happen is if the following improvements are made over the course of these games.

1) Improved QB play - Let's not sugarcoat this aspect of Bulldog football. Tom Brandstater has not made many mistakes this season. Unfortunately he has not made many big plays either. Brandstater is about as average an QB as a team could have on it's roster. If Fresno State is going to make a run at 9-3 they are going to need Brandstater to step up and make some big throws. When the Dogs face a third and ten they will need Tom to hit a receiver in stride. When the Dogs have a third and eight they will need Tom to find the open receiver in the middle of the field. Fresno State will not be able to settle for improved field position against teams such as Hawaii. The Warriors will drive down the field in less than four minutes regardless of where the ball is at. Without an improved effort from Brandstater the Dogs will win no more than two games as I am willing to bet that both Kansas State and Hawaii will force Fresno State to throw the ball to beat them.

2) Offensive Line Cohesion - Going into the Boise game Fresno's offensive line looked to have gelled to the point where Brandstater was getting put on his back at a rate of once a game. Although Tom was only sacked three times against Boise he was hit at least ten times on top of that. In order for the Dogs to win they will need to protect their QB and allow him the time to throw. Without time Tom tends to rush his decision making process and force balls into coverages he cannot complete.

3) Lock down Corner Play - This may be one of the most important factors that allows the Bulldogs a run at 4-0 to finish the season. Damon Jenkins has had problems at the corner spot all season. He tends to give too much of a cushion and seems to allow the big first down every time the ball is thtown to his side of the field. Hawaii is going to pick on Jenkins just as Boise did. If there is a third and long for the Rainbows Jenkins will be the man they attack on the field. How well Jenkins adjusts to what is happening around him will make the difference between a punt or another third down conversion for the opponent's offense.

4) Field Goal Success - While it is true that Stitser made six field goals in a row before the Boise game the reality is that he seems to become erratic when the Dogs need him the most. Last year Stitser was nowhere to be found during the season and before he converted six attempts in a row this season he was erratic once again. Stitser's missed 47 and 39 yard field goal attempts certainly were not the only reason the Bulldogs lost to Boise, but they played a huge factor in the game. Fresno will have to capitalize on every scoring opportunity and will need Stitser to find his groove here in the last part of the season if they wish to be successful.

5) Run Defense Improvement - Boise stretched the field with their running game causing Fresno State problems with respect to bottling up the runner. If the Bulldogs can not figure out how to isolate the runner and make the tackle when the opportunity is there they will not beat anyone left on their schedule.

6) Lastly, better play calling - As I posted on the bark board, I do not oppose the plays that are called for the Bulldogs offense. I am disappointed instead with the timing that these plays are being called. If we have a 2nd or 3rd and 1 run the ball. Fresno State has always been able to get that extra yard to extend their drives and to try and throw the ball on a down such as the one mentioned above takes away the strength of Bulldog football. At the same time it would not hurt to have one of our RB's pass the ball when they line up at QB. If they were to throw it occasionally the defense would not be able to stack the line to stop the run.

Fresno State has the ability to make improvements in each of the above mentioned areas. The Dogs have the talent in place to make a 4-0 run a reality. In order for the final four games to be a success Fresno State will have to find a way to hold on to the ball and take it away from the opponent. We still have one interception on the season and quite honestly that is pathetic. Florida Atlantic has one player with seven interceptions this year. Fresno State has to do whatever it takes to create extra opportunities for the offense. If the Dogs cannot control the clock and improve their offense they will lose at least two of the final four games they play. A 7-5 finish is exactly what I expected from this team at the starting of the year. I would love to see this team prove me wrong. In fact I am sure that is something the entire Fresno State fan base would love and I truly hope the Dogs can turn this team into a winning product. It is going to take much more than showing up to win these games for the Dogs. All we can do as fans is hope that the coaching staff can elevate this team's willingness to win each game they play. If the Dogs can show the same intensity that we have seen in the past this should be a fun final month of the season. If they can't then once again we will struggle to finish the season and will sit at home while every other team enjoys a bowl game.

Avoiding the QuickSand Effect

2007-10-30T07:33:00.000-07:00

Boise State came to town this past weekend and knocked the Bulldogs off for the sixth time in seven tries. While this loss was heartbreaking for Bulldog fans and players what happens after this loss is what will truly define this 2007 Fresno State football season. Yes the loss to Boise hurts in more ways than one. The Bulldogs no longer control their own destiny with respect to winning the WAC. A win over Boise would have given the Dogs a great shot at capturing the WAC title. However, what should be remembered is the season is not over. Fresno State has four games remaining and quite honestly all four are winnable games.

Fresno State will not play a better team that the Boise team they lost to Friday. Boise plays absolutely flawless football when it comes to fundamentals. You would be hard pressed to find another college football team that executes as well as the Broncos do on game day. With that being said the Bulldogs now must turn their attention to Utah State. While Utah State is not nearly the team Boise is they still have enough talent to knock the Bulldogs off. If you don't believe that statement is true just check out the results from 2006 and you will realize a loss to the Aggies is absolutely possible. In the past the Bulldogs have followed heartbreaking losses with long streaks of horrendous football. In 2004 a loss to La. Tech paved the way for a three game losing streak in which Fresno State's offense went South. In 2005 a loss to USC was followed by three more losses to teams the Bulldogs were flat out better than. In 2006 the Dogs lost a close game to Oregon which led to one of the most painful losing streaks in Bulldog history. The Dogs would lose seven games in a row, one of which would be to the Aggies of Utah State. As you can see Fresno State may be the poster boys when it comes to quicksand and how it can affect a team.

In order for 2007 to be a successful year the Bulldogs are going to have to be able to turn the page and come out fired up to play the Aggies on Saturday. I realize this may be easier said than done, but the Aggies are a key team to recover against. If the Bulldogs can regain their ground game and find some passing lanes for Brandstater this could be the type of game that propels the Dogs into a dogfight with Hawaii the following week after. What many fans may not realize is that Hawaii now holds the key to the Bulldogs WAC fate. If Fresno State can knock of the Warriors on the island and the Warriors then turn around and knock off Boise all three teams may finish 7-1 tying for the WAC. The only way this will even be a possibility is for Fresno State to come out and dominate the Aggies from the first play of the game. Fresno State has the type of offense that can control a game against Hawaii. They will have to run the ball effectively and execute long drives that keeps the Warriors offense off of the field. But none of this is even possible if the Dogs do not take care of business against the Aggies first.

Fresno State is a better team than Utah State. Fresno State has superior talent and far better players than the Aggies do. However, Fresno State will not win this game if they ponder what could have been with a victory over the Broncos. The Bulldogs need to forget what happened against Boise and move on to Utah State. If they continue to worry about the past once again the Dogs will be stuck in quicksand and that is something no Bulldog fan, player, or coach desires to see.

Not Quite There Yet

2007-10-29T09:11:00.000-07:00

Once again Boise State has come into Fresno and beat our Bulldogs. Once again we are left to question what could have been for this Bulldog football team. Once again we will likely finish behind Boise State in the WAC standings. While Fresno State has made strides to become a competitive football team in 2007 they have not quite caught up to the level that the Boise State Broncos play at. We cannot blame this on the talent levels of the two teams. Boise State does not have better players on the field. Boise State's players are not superior to those at Fresno State. However, Boise State has players that have bought into a system that functions almost flawlessly when they play Fresno State. On Friday night the Broncos once again played a perfect game against the Bulldogs leading to a 34-21 victory. While the Broncos executed perfectly Fresno State on the other hand made countless mistakes leading to another defeat at the hands of the Broncos. Where the Bulldogs go from here will be interesting to say the least. Fresno State can still enjoy a very successful season but will have to put this loss behind them in order to do so. What will happen from here will be up to the Bulldogs and their coaching staff. Hopefully we will not see a quicksand effect as the Dogs have been known to do after a tough loss.

Fresno State has a relatively tough schedule to finish the season. Aside the game this weekend against Utah State the Dogs have three tough challenges left against Hawaii, Kansas State, and New Mexico State. If everything goes to plan Fresno State will beat both Utah and New Mexico and lose to Hawaii and Kansas State. Unfortunately it seems that the Dogs have figured out how to finally win the games they should but they are now losing all the games they should lose as well. Instead of upsetting one or two teams a season Fresno State no longer shows up for games against teams that are in the upper echelon of college football. In the past two seasons we have lost to Hawaii, Boise State twice, Oregon twice, LSU, and have the chance to lose to Hawaii again and Kansas State. While it is great that we are beating the teams we should the Bulldogs seem to be out game planned by every single team with any type of talent. Every season Boise State's coaching staff seems to out coach ours. They blitz when we aren't ready for it and run delays, options, and off tackles when we are looking for something else. Fresno on the other hand seems to run absolutely everything Boise is looking for. Aside one drive this past Friday the Bulldogs did absolutely nothing on offense until eight minutes remained in the fourth quarter. In order for the Dogs to become a challenge to a team such as Boise State they are going to have to improve in the following areas:

1) Third Down Defense - Boise State went 10 for 18 on third downs, a stat I think is actually a bit off (It felt like they were closer to 15 for 18). It seemed that Boise would gain two-three yards on first and second down and ten yards on third down every time. Why the Bulldogs corners do not bump will always be something I do not understand. They continually let receivers run whatever routes they please only to give up ten yards when they need to stop them at seven. Our corners do not shadow the receivers well enough and are missing tackles once the ball is caught. Our safety help seems to be fine and I won't complain about LB play at all. But our corner spot is really hurting us right now.

2) Offensive Play calling - I am not so much upset with the play calling in the sense that I don't like what plays are being called. Instead I don't think the times they are being called makes much sense. On the first drive of the game we gain nine yards on first down and then throw on second and third when we need one yard? Fresno State will always be a run first team and if they try to lead with the pass they will not win games. At the same time when it is third down and eight why are we running draws up the middle? We seem to lack confidence in the players we need to believe in to win games and at the end of the year that will haunt us in games such as the ones against Boise State. If you run the ball outside successfully in the first quarter why do you stop doing so as the game moves along? Fresno abandoned what has worked all year and in the end they truly paid for it.

3) QB Protection - Brandstater would be hit on nearly every play by a delayed blitzing LB during the course of the game. Fresno's offensive line did nothing to protect Tom and he would be forced to throw many passes early leading to his erratic play. I will not blame the offensive line completely for Tom's performance. One of these times Brandstater is going to have to hit an open receiver deep for a TD. Early on he missed a wide open Marlon Moore downfield. Brandstater cannot continue to do this if he is going to make any kind of difference here at Fresno State.

4) Play up to the level of our opponent - The Dogs played A&M evenly. Fresno State did not play Boise evenly. Fresno State looked as if they felt the Broncos were better than them and they allowed the Broncos to dictate the pace of the game. In the future the Dogs need to go out and have that killer instinct that the Broncos have. If the Dogs can start a game like they did against Boise and keep the foot on the gas pedal maybe the outcome will be differently in the future. However, if they continue to sit on a small lead and run predictable plays they will lose every game against a team with superior game day adjustment ability.

Overall the game against the Broncos was quite heartbreaking not only for the players but for the fans and the city of Fresno as well. One day we will have to figure out a way to beat the Broncos. I am not sure Pat Hill will ever be able to out coach Chris Petersen on a day where the Broncos and Bulldogs play one another. I hope I am wrong but it seems that Petersen's innovation is just too much for the Bulldogs staff to figure out. Until the Dogs can open up their game plan and figure out how to run plays the Broncos have not seen nor are they ready for the Dogs will continue to lose to this WAC Cinderella story. Hopefully the Broncos run will end sooner than later, but if we continue to play at the level we are right now we will experience many more years of playing second fiddle to the team from the Blue turf up North.

The Red Seat Debacle

2007-10-23T10:27:00.000-07:00

by nsc

Fresno State sits at 5-2. They are 4-0 in the WAC. This past weekend they played a rivalry game that had been somewhat renewed due to the fact that San Jose State beat the Dogs this past season. The Bulldogs had not played a home game in three weeks and had only experienced one home game over the past fifty days. With all of these factors present one would think Bulldog stadium would be full for their football game against San Jose State. Unfortunately that was not the case this past weekend in Fresno. Only 35,000 fans decided to grace Bulldog stadium with their presence. As usual the Red Seats were most notably empty as they usually are. Week after week if there is one thing that is certain it is that the red seats will not be filled. But the question as to why they are not full has to enter just about every single Bulldog fans mind. How is it even possible that the single best seats in Bulldog stadium go unfilled week after week? The answer is quite simple, Fresno State has absolutely no idea what they are doing when it comes to ticket sales. A situation such as the red seats being empty is one that can be solved easily. Here is how.

Every year red seat tickets must be renewed by their respective owners. This really doesn't come down to rocket science here when I state the fix for this problem. All Fresno State has to do is make sure that season ticket holders in the red seats understand that if their seats are not filled after the first five minutes of the game they will be filled. In other words if the red seat season ticket holders do not show up the university shall reserve the right to open those seats up to other prospective fans. Of course this is not the only solution. Fresno State could start a program where those red seat holders who will not be attending the game can give up their seats. There are so many different ways to handle this problem and the truth is it is becoming quite disheartening to see those seats empty week after week. How is it possible that everyone in the valley seems to be missing this young upstart team and the drive they have to win? Why does it seem like Bulldog fans expect a national championship or bust? Is it really too much to hope for WAC title first? These players are young and quite honestly they are playing their asses off for this city and the university yet we can only put 35,000 fans in the seats? I for one am tired of hearing about how we should expand the stadium. We have no business hoping to close the end zones off if we cannot put fans in the seats. So for every person who has a valid point with respect to expansion of the stadium you mine as well save it for now. The only way this stadium will ever grow is if Bulldog fans get off their couch and come down to Bulldog stadium to watch the game.

The Boise State Blackout

At first I thought this to be a terrible idea. I mean Bulldog colors are Red, White, and a bit of Blue. Yet we decided that we are going to go with black for a game to show the nation how amazing Bulldog stadium can look on national television. After I accepted the idea and even thought of it as "a fun experience" I come to find out that half the people in the stadium this past Saturday had no idea about a blackout against Boise. I will be wearing black and so will my entire family when we see the game Friday. But when you have twenty people in your immediate surroundings who have absolutely no idea that a blackout is going to take place what does that tell you about the marketing skills of Fresno State? In order to sell an idea such as this you have to market it. A month in advance there should be adds throughout the city of Fresno speaking of the blackout against Boise. The Fresno Bee should be advertising this game daily talking about where people can buy blackout shirts if they have the desire to purchase them. I am just a bit disappointed in the university as the idea now seems like a promotional ploy to make money instead of celebrating one of the biggest games in Fresno in the past five years.

Fresno State-Boise State Opening Thoughts

First of all let me say a little bit about what I have read over the past few days on the BarkBoard and Blue Turf Board. This game will not be decided by what these two teams have done in the past. Boise's SOS and Fresno's SOS have absolutely nothing to do with the outcome of this game. Fresno's winning margin and Boise's winning margin will not help decide who is better Friday night. Fresno's offensive totals and Boise's offensive totals will not allow us to know who will win this game Friday night. Instead whoever plays better on the field Friday will be the team that comes away with a win. I get tired of reading posts stating "Boise's SOS is...." or "Fresno's SOS is better than Boise's so...." Just so everyone knows that means absolutely nothing when the ball is kicked off for the first time Friday night. Both of these teams are good solid football teams. Boise State scores a lot of points and Fresno is very good at controlling the clock with their grind it out running style. In the end the team that is able to play their style of football will win this game. Just so everyone knows I am going with the Bulldogs Friday night. I think it's Fresno's turn to make this a series and their confidence will be at an all time high with their revenge win over San Jose. Bulldog stadium will be full for the first time this season and the Bulldogs will walk away with a very tight victory. Hell my cousing from Nor-Cal will even be at the game with me, so the stars are aligning for this one Bulldog fans.

Fresno State 38
Boise State 35

Week Nine BlogPoll Ballot

2007-10-23T02:40:00.000-07:00

NSC your .02...I got LSU No. 1 this week only because USF lost. I have a feeling Ohio State loses at Penn State this Saturday and BC could lose Thursday. An Oregon win over USC could vault the Ducks to No. 2 and possibly set up a top 5 matchup with Arizona State if the Sun Devils beat Cal. Wait...I am getting way ahead of myself.

Rank	Team	Delta
1	LSU	2
2	Ohio State	--
3	Boston College	3
4	Oregon	6
5	South Florida	4
6	Arizona State	1
7	Oklahoma	1
8	West Virginia	3
9	Missouri	3
10	Florida	4
11	Kentucky	6
12	Kansas	3
13	Southern Cal	5
14	Virginia Tech	5
15	South Carolina	11
16	Auburn	3
17	Michigan	6
18	Virginia	8
19	California	10
20	Georgia	2
21	Alabama	5
22	Rutgers	4
23	Penn State	2
24	Texas	--
25	Hawaii	1

Dropped Out: Tennessee (#16), Texas Tech (#17), Cincinnati (#20), Kansas State (#21).

NSC's Difference Makers

2007-10-18T10:32:00.000-07:00

by nsc

As most of you already know Fresno State will be taking on San Jose State in a game that has the feel of a rivalry game for the first time in countless years. Fresno State comes into the game with three impressive victories over La. Tech, Nevada, and Idaho (the last two being on the road). San Jose State comes into this game winning three out of their past four games with their only loss coming at the hands of #17 Hawaii in overtime. Both teams are filled with players who are able to make a difference at any juncture of the game. Fresno State may be playing the game at home but they cannot forget about the talent that San Jose puts on the field. Here are the players that I feel can make the biggest difference during the course of the football game on Saturday:

Offense

Quarterbacks

Tom Brandstater - If you take a look at TB's numbers they will not wow you. TB has completed 60% of his passes with a 2 to 1 td to int ratio. TB has not thrown for the most yards in the nation as he currently sits at 1100 yards passing but those yards have been efficient. Last season teams were able to stack the line with nine forcing the Bulldogs to throw. This year if teams load up on the defensive line TB is able to make them pay as his throws have been far more accurate than they were in 2006. At the same time Brandstater has only been sacked eight times in six games. For a makeshift offensive line such as Fresno State's only allowing eight sacks to this point in the season is impressive but has a lot to do with TB's decision making ability. If San Jose decides to force the Dogs to throw the ball TB is capable of making the difference in this game. San Jose fans will be surprised at how far TB has come in the past season. This Bulldog team is not one dimensional and will use the pass to open up the run if they have to.

Adam Tafralis - Unfortunately for San Jose State their running attack has been non-existent this season. With that being said Adam Tafralis has stepped up his game the past four weeks. Tafralis has thrown for over three hundred yards four weeks in a row and looks to continue his hot streak against Fresno State. Tafralis showed that he could throw the deep ball accurately against the Bulldogs in 2006. Fresno State will have to prepare for a QB who seems to be gaining confidence with every game that passes. Over the past two seasons Tafralis has led the Spartans to a 12-8 record and has exceeded most expectations. In this game Tafralis will have the opportunity to make a difference just as Brandstater will. If Adam makes few mistakes and gets the hot hand this could turn into a high scoring affair between the two hated rivals.

Running Backs

Lonyae Miller & Ryan Matthews - Fresno State's two headed attack features a true freshman and a true Sophomore that have lead the way to dominating performances on the ground the past two weeks. Matthews has rushed for five TD's in the past two weeks while totaling near 240 yards rushing during that period. Lonyae Miller has totaled over 100 yards each game the past two weeks and looks to continue that trend against a Spartans defense that allows 170 yards on the ground per game. If Fresno State is able to control the clock with the ground game San Jose State will be in for a very long day. The past two weeks Fresno State has controlled the clock and virtually ended both games by halftime. Fresno State will look to do the same thing to the Spartans as they try to take them out of their game allowing the Dogs a big lead going into the half.

Wide Receivers

Kevin Jurovich & David Richmond - These two receivers have been Tafralis' favorite target early in the season. Jurovich has caught 44 passes and already has 638 yards receiving with five td's to go along with those gaudy stats. Richmond also has performed quite well as He has nearly 500 yards receiving with three td's to this point in the season. The Fresno State secondary is going to be tested early and often by the Spartans. If the Dogs defensive secondary can find a way to shut down these receivers they will have a shot to run away in this game. However, stopping the Spartans passing attack is going to be much easier said than done.

Bear Pascoe, Clifton Smith, Jason Crawley & Seyi Ajirotutu - Bear Pascoe is TB's favorite receiver. Pascoe does a great job of fighting off defenders to get to the ball and rarely does the ball get through his hands. Clifton Smith is a shifty back that can be used out of the backfield when the Dogs want to clear the field and give him some room to run. The past two weeks Clifton has made life much easier for TB by opening up the underneath passing game and allowing TB to dump the ball off when in trouble. Jason Crawley has done a good job of filling in for the injured Marlon Moore. While Crawley may not be the fastest of the Bulldogs he is physical and has great hands. If Fresno State needs a reception look for Crawley to step up and make the big catch. Seyi has done a phenomenal job of catching the deep routes this season. While Seyi does not have the wheels to outrun anyone he seems to run great routes and find himself open more often than not. If TB can find Seyi downfield the running game may open up allowing the Bulldogs to control the tempo on offense.

Defense

Corners and Secondary

A.J. Jefferson, Marvin Haynes, Damien Owens, & Moses Harris - The Bulldogs secondary has done a phenominal job on the field this season. The first team defense may not have an interception but they have limited what other teams can do. The Bulldogs do not give up the big play in the passing game often and are very physical. The Dogs hit very hard and will make every receiver pay if they come over the middle to make that all important third down reception. Fresno State will try to force San Jose to do what they don't want to and that is run the ball. If the Bulldogs can shut down Tafralis and the Spartans passing game the Dogs will be in great shape to walk away with a win.

Dwight Lowery & Christopher Owens - Lowery is one of the best corners in the WAC. He seems to have a nose for where the football is going and will more often than not walk away from a game with an int. He has 12 int's in 20 games for the Spartans so odds are better to stay away from this talented CB. Owens has done a good job on the other side of the field and actually has one more int that Lowery this season (Lowery has 3 Owens has 4). Fresno State will have to be careful when going to the air because these two men can turn the game around with one play.

Linebackers

Ben Jacobs & Marcus Riley - These are the two single most important men on the Bulldogs defense. Jacobs makes the calls and Riley seems to find himself near the ball every single play. Fresno State uses their LB's to control the running game and have done a very impressive job of shutting down other team's this season in all facets of the game. Look for both Riley and Jacobs to make some noise against San Jose as they are both capable of dominating this game on defense.

Matt Castelo - The Spartans took the field with only one LB on defense last week against Hawaii. Castelo would total 12 tackles in the game as he showed that he can be counted on in the middle of the field. Castelo will play a big role along with Owens and Lowery in stopping the Bulldogs running game. The Spartans will need Castelo to step up and play big in the middle to prevent the Bulldogs from running when they want to. If Castelo can find a way to neutralize the Bulldogs running game San Jose will have a much better chance of winning this game.

Special Teams

A.J. Jefferson and Clifton Smith - Fresno State is explosive both on kickoff and punt returns. A.J. Jefferson leads the nation in kick return average as he take the ball for 33 yards every time he touches it. Clifton Smith showed against Nevada that his shifting is back in gear and he will be hard to bring down if given enough room to roam the field. San Jose may be smart just to kick the ball out of bounds every time because these two can change the course of the game with one kick.

Overall this should be a hard fought game. I am sure I left some players out that can make a difference in the outcome of this game but the blog was running a bit long. Saturday is only two days away and from what I hear our tailgate will have some Spartan fans with us. Here's to a very well played game between two teams that will give their all out there on the football field. Go Dogs.

The Revenge Factor

2007-10-17T09:03:00.000-07:00

by nsc

Saturday Fresno State begins a journey against four teams that defeated them in 2006. While the Bulldogs seem to have successfully forgotten about what happened in 2006 there is no way to forget about the teams that beat them during that unfortunate season. This Saturday San Jose State will represent the first team from the WAC that knocked the Bulldogs off in 2006 . Fresno State and San Jose State do not get along well. Aside the two coaches (who seem to have more respect for one another than most coaches do) you would be hard pressed to find players from either team that have anything nice to say about one another. San Jose State fans have nicknamed Fresno State various names such as Tractor U while Fresno State fans generally refer to San Jose State as "San Loser State". Over the past fifteen years Fresno State has owned this series as they have lost one time in that span. However, 2006 would be the one season that the Spartans were able to regain some of the glory from the Bulldogs. However you view the Bulldogs and Spartans one thing is certain about this series: These two teams do not like one another and this Saturday it will become obvious in Bulldogs Stadium.

The Spartans-Bulldogs series seemed to have lost some of it's luster due to the Bulldogs dominating the series for the past fifteen years. But if you were to take a look at the message boards between these two teams you would see there has been very little love lost between the two teams' fan bases. Fresno State fans do not like San Jose State fans. San Jose State fans don't typically like Bulldog fans. In other words the rivalry between the two teams may have taken some time off but it is beginning to heat up once again. Regardless of what you might feel may play a role in the game between the Spartans and Bulldogs on Saturday one factor cannot be ignored: Revenge. Fresno State feels as if they owe San Jose State a beating after they lost to them last year in San Jose. TB played what he called "His worst game as a Bulldog" this past season and wants nothing more than to atone for the mistakes he made in 2006. Brandstater has handled himself well this season and seems to be gaining confidence with each game that passes by. At the same time you have to remember that Fresno State has not been home since their win over La. Tech. Fresno fans cannot wait to see the Bulldogs play after their 2-0 road trip. The Bulldogs sit at the top of the WAC with a 3-0 record and look to make the move back to the top of the conference this season. The next step is to knock off San Jose, something the Dogs seem to want more than anything in the world right now.

The Spartans must realize that they are coming into Bulldog stadium under tough conditions. San Jose may have had one extra day to prepare for the Dogs but their devastating loss to Hawaii may have some affect on team. At the same time maybe the Spartans look at this game against the Bulldogs as a chance to rebound from their tough loss to Hawaii. Although most WAC fans despise June Jones and the Rainbows you would be hard pressed to find a Spartan fan who hasn't named Fresno State enemy #1. If the fans feel this strongly about the Bulldogs then the players surely match that intensity to beat their hated rival. The Spartans look to be a passing team as they throw the ball for over 250 yards per game but only rush for 60 per game. Fresno State's secondary has been impressive this season as they have held opponents to an average of 185 yards passing per game. Tafralis and the Spartans will test the Bulldogs early and often in this game. While Tafralis possesses gaudy stats with respect to passing yards he has thrown nine int's this season. Fresno State is yet to pick off a pass and are hoping San Jose State is the fix for this problem. In the end the Bulldogs are going to have to find a way to pressure Tafralis into making mistakes. If Tafralis is able to relax in the pocket he will have a field day against Fresno State which can only mean bad things when it comes to the final score.

Overall both teams have plenty to play for. The Spartans have now lost a game in the WAC and if they hope to contend for the title they can ill afford to lose a second game. Fresno State is atop the WAC standings now and realize they cannot afford to lose a game either. Because Fresno State lost this game last year I believe they have the advantage if for no other reason than the revenge factor. Fresno State will come down the ramp on Saturday to a sold out homecoming crowd who is once again excited for Bulldog football. J-Mac has invigorated this team and it's fan base with his creativeness and has found a way to open up the offense again as the Bulldogs have scored 49 and 37 points the past two games. If Fresno State can play with the intensity they have shown in the past three games they will control the clock and win this game by two touchdowns. However, if the Dogs make mistakes and turn the ball over more than they take it away they will be in for a fight to the end. Fresno State has everything going for them with respect to momentum. They have won three straight games and seem to be gelling as a team. The players have confidence, the fans have confidence, and the coaching staff has confidence in the Bulldogs. Look for this game to mirror many of the Bulldog-Spartan games before the 2006 season. Fresno State will control the clock and win this game going away in front of a sold out crowd in Bulldog Stadium.

Fresno State 38
San Jose State 17

NSC's .02 on WACky Weekend

2007-10-15T07:21:00.000-07:00

by nsc

In all of my years as a college football fan I am not sure I can say I have ever seen a weekend develop the way this past one did for the Western Athletic Conference. Aside the Fresno State-Idaho game the other three games played all went down to the wire with two of them needing overtime to decide a winner. On Friday Hawaii stormed back after being down 14 with four minutes left to defeat San Jose State 42-35 in overtime. While Hawaii is suspect on defense they continue to win and at the end of the day that is all you can do to keep yourself in the WAC race. Saturday La. Tech defeated NMSU 22-21 at home as La. Tech scored the winning touchdown with less than two minutes remaining. Those two games alone would have made for a wonderful WAC weekend but in the end they did not compare to what we were given Sunday night in Boise, Idaho. Boise State and Nevada played a four overtime classic with the Broncos coming away with a 69-67 victory when Tim Brady was able to corral Colin Kaepernick on a two point conversion attempt. You have to give Nevada and their Freshman QB some credit as Boise more often than not destroys WAC teams on their home field. It is not often to have a visiting WAC school take the lead on Boise State with less than four minutes to play and that is exactly what happened last night. However, Boise came away with the win and as I stated earlier in the end all that matters in wins and losses.

While this weekend was exciting it pushed me to begin thinking about which team in the WAC has shown the least amount of weaknesses up to this point. Now remember that when I consider the amount of weakness a team has shown I am only considering their first team defense and offense because generally those are the players who will be in for the majority of each game. Although Hawaii is undefeated there is no way to view them as a strong favorite to run the table. Now that we have seen that Nevada can play with just about anyone in the WAC that game at home against Hawaii is going to be much harder to come away with a victory than first thought. At the same time Hawaii still has Fresno State, Boise State, and Washington on their schedule (although all three are at home). Hawaii has shown that their first team defense is not going to stop anyone. If a team can put pressure on Brennan they will force him to throw early and make mistakes. If Brennan continues to throw multiple interceptions each week it will eventually catch up with him and Hawaii will see a loss for the first time this season. Boise State until last night looked unstoppable. However, it has become obvious that they have containment problems on the outside with respect to the running game. As Fresno State fans we know all about teams that can't stop the outside run (Fresno State couldn't for a good three years in a row until this season). Boise State's games against Fresno State and Hawaii now look far tougher than before as they have to travel for both games. Boise will enter a hostile environment this time around in Fresno as the Bulldogs look to be back on track for the first time in over two seasons.

Fresno State has shown that they can dominate a game and coast to victory. Over the course of their first three games in the WAC the Bulldogs first team defense has given up a total of forty points (6 to La. Tech, 20 to Nevada, 14 to Idaho). If the Dogs first team defense stays in for the course of the game we may see another La. Tech effort as the Bulldogs completely shut down Champion and his offense. Although I realize this is hard to believe the fact is that Fresno State has shown just as few weaknesses as anyone in the WAC up to this point. You can make the argument that we haven't played anyone compared to the other top tier teams in the WAC but we knocked off Nevada rather easily while Boise struggled against them. Hawaii struggled to beat La. Tech a team Fresno defensively controlled their entire game with La. Tech. With San Jose State and Boise State coming to town in the next two weeks the Dogs will see what they are made of. San Jose comes off a defeat where they played maybe their best game of the season. San Jose put a scare in Hawaii and did all they could to knock the Rainbows off on a soggy field in the Silicon valley. Now the Spartans will travel to the Central Valley and try to knock the Bulldogs off for a second straight week. Whether this will happen or not depends on if the Dogs can control the running game once again. For the first three WAC games the Dogs ticket to wins has been their strength in the running game and look for this game to follow suit. However, Fresno State's one glaring weakness has been their offensive continuity. One drive they march down the field with relative ease while the next drive they cannot gain a yard. If the Dogs can find a rhythym on offense it is going to be hard for any team in the WAC to beat them regardless of where the game is played.

As I stated earlier the WAC has been a fun conference to say the least this season. While the overall team talent looks to be down the field of play seems to be much more even than any year in the past. Any one of three teams look like they could walk away with the WAC championship. The deciding factor will be how well these teams protect home field and if those same teams can steal a game from one another on the road. Fresno State has to travel to Hawaii, but remember this Bulldog team has never lost to Hawaii on the island. In fact this Bulldog team is 1-0 against Hawaii on the island (with respect to those who remain from the 2005 team). The WAC is shaping up to give us an exciting finish and for the first time in quite a while Fresno State looks to have just as good a shot at the title as anyone.

BlogPoll Ballot Week 8

2007-10-14T18:24:00.000-07:00

I didn't vote last week, but here is this week's ballot. Any sugestions for changes?

Rank	Team	Delta
1	South Florida	25
2	Ohio State	24
3	LSU	23
4	South Carolina	22
5	Kentucky	21
6	Boston College	20
7	Arizona State	19
8	Oklahoma	18
9	California	17
10	Oregon	16
11	West Virginia	15
12	Missouri	14
13	Auburn	13
14	Florida	12
15	Kansas	11
16	Tennessee	10
17	Texas Tech	9
18	Southern Cal	8
19	Virginia Tech	7
20	Cincinnati	6
21	Kansas State	5
22	Georgia	4
23	Michigan	3
24	Texas	2
25	Penn State	1

Dropped Out:

NSC Talks Expansion

2007-10-12T12:19:00.000-07:00

by nsc

Expansion: The Mountain West Twelve

Now I realize that talking about expansion with respect to Fresno State is a topic that has been covered many times by Barkboard posters. However, I have never once written a blog on expansion and my ideas for it (which generally copy what many other Bulldog fans picture with respect to expansion). I believe the best move that can be made with respect to any type of expansion is for Fresno State and two other schools (Hawaii, Boise State) to leave the WAC and join the Mountain West Conference. I know many Bulldog fans hate the MWC for abandoning us the way they did but let me be the first to say that the WAC is a terrible conference. The WAC is not horrible because of the teams at the top or even the teams in the middle. The WAC is terrible because the bottom tier is so bad that three of the four generally end up in ESPN's bottom ten. Idaho, Utah State, La. Tech, and even NMSU have looked god awful this season. Aside La. Tech the other three schools generally are quite bad year in and year out. Below is how I would split up the two conferences with a championship game at the end of the season.

Western Division
Fresno State
Boise State
Hawaii
San Diego State
UNLV
New Mexico

Mountain Divison
BYU
Utah
Air Force
Colorado State
Wyoming
TCU

I am sure it is obvious that I made up the names for the two divisions. I chose to put New Mexico in the Western region because they do not share a true rival with any of the teams in the Mountain Division. You can make the argument that each team should have a true rival but if that were the case then TCU would have never been added as a school to this conference. Now realize that I am only proposing this type of expansion with respect to college football. I am not trying to relate this to any other sport nor do I have the desire to cover those sports. I feel like this conference above would not only help with recruiting but would also help with the big picture. If this twelve team conference were formed there would be that opportunity to create a BCS birth for the overall winner of the conference. I realize many of you want to see a playoff but this may be the one guaranteed way to get a mid major into a BCS game every single year. Sure our chances of making it are 1 out of 12 but isn't that far better than what the BCS offers us right now? At the same time we would not be forced to go undefeated to qualifiy for a BCS game.

In the end I realize this is a dream that I am proposing. I just know there is something better out there not only for the Bulldogs but for teams such as Boise State. Being in the WAC will continue to hurt us for many years to come. If the Mountain West were expanded you could then play all five teams in your division and have a rotation of three teams from the other division every year. Could you imagine a league schedule for Fresno State that included: San Diego State, Hawaii, Boise State, UNLV, New Mexico, BYU, TCU, and Wyoming? Now tell me that isn't a huge upgrade in scheduling within our own league. Like I said I realize it's a dream but does anyone else out there have any ideas or thoughts on what might be best for the Bulldogs down the line? Share them in the comments section here.

Who Will Win the WAC? How About Three Teams

2007-09-20T10:31:00.000-07:00

by nsc

I know the title seems absurd to this blog but it refers to exactly how I think the WAC will finish this season. Because the overall talent in the WAC is down I think we are going to see a level of parody among the top three teams this season that could rival how things finished back when the WAC was 16 teams and the first place teams commonly tied at 6-2. With that being said here is how I see the WAC playing out now that the non-conference schedules for most of the WAC teams have begun and are coming to a close sooner than later. Each team's projected WAC record follows their name.

1) Hawaii 7-1 (1st tie) - I know Hawaii has the easiest road to an
undefeated WAC season. I just do not see them finishing without a
loss in the WAC. MDG is adamant that the Warriors will lose two games
(Nevada and Boise) but I do not think that offense will falter two
times in the same season. At the same time this may come down to
wishful thinking as I do not want to see a team with Hawaii's schedule
run the table and qualify for a BCS game. If the Warriors are able to
do something of this sort it will prove that all mid-majors such as
Fresno State will have scheduled tough for absolutely no reason and
instead those with the weak scheduling philosophy are the ones that
reap the benefits in the end.

2) Boise State 7-1 (1st tie) - The Broncos have already lost to
Washington and struggled to a win over the Cowboys from Wyoming.
However, in WAC play we all know that the Broncos do an outstanding
job of playing well enough to win every game. This season I feel like
that the Broncos will knock off Hawaii but will experience only their
second loss to Fresno State in their past seven games with the
Bulldogs. Because the Dogs will have beaten the Broncos and the
Broncos will have beaten the Warriors all three teams will be left
with one loss in the conference. Now a team such as Nevada can knock
off one of these teams and ruin all that I think will happen, but that
is why these are predictions. After all how often do predictions come
true?

3) Fresno State 7-1 (1st tie) - Fresno State opens up with La. Tech
and then begins their road schedule with Nevada followed by Idaho. If
Fresno State can get by Nevada they then have a chance to begin the
season 6-0. I believe Fresno State will win it's game at Nevada and
run off six games in a row before their battle at Hawaii. Fresno will
give Hawaii everything they have in their tank and take that game down
to the wire but I don't know if Fresno's offense will be able to keep
up with the Warriors for the entire length of the game. Overall this
will be a very positive year for Fresno State in the WAC as they will
tie for the WAC title and play in a bowl game.

4) New Mexico State 5-3 (2nd) - The Aggies will have a very strong
season with Chase Holbrook at QB. Although I do not think the Aggies
will beat Fresno State, Hawaii, or Boise State I do not think there is
another team in the WAC that will knock off NMSU. With a 5-3 record
the Aggies will be bowl elgible and possibly play in a bowl game. I
do not know the last time NMSU played in a bowl game but I am quite
sure it has been a long while. This will be a stepping stone for the
Aggies who look like the only new member of the WAC who is actually
progressing instead of regressing or making absolutely no improvements
whatsoever.

5) Nevada 4-4 (3rd) - The Wolf pack look to have a very tough season
ahead of them. They have already dropped two games, one of them to a
Northwestern team that gave Duke it's first win in 23 games. If the
Wolf pack struggled against a bad Northwestern team there is no
telling how they will play against the likes of Fresno, Boise, Hawaii,
and NMSU. I still think the Wolf pack have enough to pull out a .500
record in the WAC. This is a rebuilding season for Chris Ault and his
pistol offense but Graziano seems to be the type of QB that can learn
the offense and run with it. Expect Nevada to be a difference maker
much sooner than later.

6) Louisiana Tech 3-5 (4th) - La. Tech is one of the many reasons why
I prefer to wait to predict records for the WAC. La. Tech is
returning somewhere in the arena of 4 starters this season but their
coach has them playing some tough football down there in the South.
La. Tech lost to Hawaii 45-44 in overtime and has shown that it's
offense might be much tougher to stop than originally thought. With
Champion at QB opposing teams will have to put pressure on Champion
early and often to take him out of his game. Although La. Tech won't
be nearly as bad as originally thought they still will not have enough
to finish in the top half of the WAC.

7) San Jose State 1-7 (5th tie) - I have to say that I see very little
positives out of the Spartans up to this point of the season. I
realize they are dealing with a rash of injuries but their QB has
looked awful and they have not played defense in any way, shape, or
form. Their embarrassing 37-0 loss to a bad Stanford team should tell
us all we need to know about San Jose. The Spartans take on Utah
State this weekend and I feel like the Aggies of Utah State have a chance to
pull this game out. Tomey may be upset with the Spartans for the way
they have played their first three games but they have lost not
because of bad preparation but instead because they are bad as a
team. Look for 2006 to be an anomaly and for the Spartans to have an
awful 2007.

8) Idaho 1-7 (5th tie) - Idaho is a terrible football team. They lost
their coach, have very little on the offensive and defensive side of
the ball, and play in one of the single worst football arenas in the
nation. The Kibbie Dome is a death trap for most football players as
the surface is awful and more often than not leads to a terrible
injury. Look for Idaho to find a way to lose almost every game they
play aside their match up with Utah State. I do not expect much from
Idaho and in the long run look for this team to have many years of
underachieving in their near future.

9) Utah State 1-7 (5th tie) - Utah State is a team that knocked off
Fresno State last year for one of it's biggest wins in school
history. However, this team has not won a game since their upset
against Fresno and quite honestly they have not come close to beating
anyone. In 2007 Utah State will not beat anyone of worth as Fresno
will get it's revenge on a very bad Utah State team that lost to
Oklahoma 54-3 this past weekend. Utah State will be a team mired in
the bottom of the WAC for many years to come unless they decide to
make some changes for the better. It doesn't help that their in-state
competition for recruits is nationally known Utah and BYU.

Overall the WAC will be down this season which in turn that will
create an exciting finish for the top half of this conference. Look
for some hard fought victories when the top three play one another.
These games will be exciting and I am quite sure there will be some
upsets I did not predict. WAC football is always kind of crazy, so
expect the unexpected.

BlogPoll Roundtable 3.2: Storylines Emerge...My First BlogPoll Roundtable

2007-09-19T11:43:00.000-07:00

by nsc

Yesterday MDG sent me an email that asked me to answer some questions about the Bulldogs and the WAC as a whole. Personally I think these questions are great for a blog. I have decided that since we do not play for ten more days I am going to do blogs such as this one today. Anyhow on to the questions asked by the Texas Longhorns Blog Burnt Orange Nation.

What's a BlogPoll Roundtable? Bloggers/BlogPoll voters use these questions as an opportunity to learn more about the teams our colleagues follow most closely.

1) Handicap Fresno State's chances to win the WAC. If Fresno State is not the favorite then who is?

First off let me say I think the Bulldogs have a very good shot at winning the WAC this season. The reason for my optimism is the schedule. Fresno State in my eyes has one of the most favorable WAC schedules this season (aside Hawaii of course). Because the Bulldogs are such a young team they will need a large amount of confidence going into the game at Hawaii. Having the first six games set up the way they do only helps the Dogs. Fresno opens at home with La. Tech, a game they should win. From there they travel to play a Nevada team that is still gelling due to the loss of Jeff Rowe. Fresno will have a great chance to walk away from both Nevada and Idaho with wins. The dogs then return home to face San Jose, Boise State, and Utah State. If the Dogs walk away from that three game stretch with victories they will travel to Hawaii with a 7-2 record (6-0 in the WAC). With a 6-0 WAC record the Dogs will have every chance to knock off a Hawaii team that may not have a loss at that point either. If I were to put the Dogs chances of winning into a percentage I would say we have a 40% chance of either winning or tying for the WAC this season.

Although I do believe the Dogs can win the WAC the frontrunner has to be Hawaii. Their schedule is very favorable as they get both Fresno and Boise in Hawaii. However, they do have to travel to Nevada and they have lost to Boise all six times they have played them since Boise joined the WAC. I have seen stranger things happen in the WAC (ex. Fresno losing to Boise while being 6-0 and ranked #8 in the nation). In other words I realize Hawaii is the favorite but I would not be surprised to see them lose once in WAC play.

2) Outline the (realistic) best case and worst case scenarios for Fresno State

Some may feel I am being overly optimistic or may just refer to me as a Bulldog homer with respect to the best case scenario for the Dogs. I believe the best case scenario for Fresno State is they finish 7-1 with a share of the WAC title. I would say they finish 8-0 but their final two road games in WAC play may be their two toughest games in the WAC this season and I think they will lose one of those two games. I believe the Dogs will come away with a close loss at Hawaii and a close win over NMSU.

The worst case scenario for the Dogs in WAC play is to finish 4-4 once again. The Dogs will beat the following teams: San Jose, Utah State, Idaho, and La. Tech. The Dogs could lose to Hawaii, Boise, Nevada, and NMSU. If they do not play up to their ability we will see the Dogs finish 4-4 in WAC play and they very well could end up under .500 overall for the second straight year. I do not believe this will happen though mainly because the youth on this team will be refreshing and they believe they can win every game they step on the field to play.

3) We're only three games into the season, but teams and storylines are starting to take shape. Compare Fresno State to a character or theme from a fable or children's tale.

Fresno State has earned the reputation of a giant killer over the past ten seasons. However, I don't truly feel that is who this university is anymore. Instead I feel like we are a young team that has the confidence that they can win every game they play. I feel like the Bulldogs are going to grow as the season moves along and in the end learn more about who they truly are as a team than any one Bulldog team in the passed has learned. I think if the Bulldogs were to be compared to a cartoon character Mighty Mouse may be the best example. I mean the Dogs generally are far undersized when it comes to the football field yet they play with their hearts and they give a complete effort every time they step on the field.

4) Imagine you are the coach of the Bulldogs. Give three specific changes you would implement immediately which you think would have the biggest impact on improving the team.

If I had the power to change three things about Fresno State's game plan they would go as follows:

1) First of all Trevor Shamblee would not be returning kicks. I realize they are using him as a blocker but Devon Wylie needs to get his hands on the football. He is explosive and I would think having him in the game would be a positive and not a negative. At the same time I would have Wylie taking both the kickoff and punt returns and only put Smith in the game as a third down back.

2) I would give the running back job to Ryan Matthews. I realize he had a costly fumble last week at Oregon but he has shown that he has both the vision and speed to make the defense miss him on almost every carry.

3) Lastly I would implement a blitz package on defense that would have an extra player coming in on almost every play. In order to beat a team such as Hawaii pressure on the QB is a must and our corners and safeties have the speed to get to the QB before he throws the ball. The worst case scenario here is the QB is forced to throw the ball before he wants to resulting in a positive for the defense.

5) USC, LSU, Florida, and Oklahoma have established themselves as the frontrunners in the early going. Which other teams are you eyeballing as potential BCS party crashers?

If we are only talking about finding their way into a BCS game you truly have to consider Hawaii as one of the favorites with their weak schedule. As far as the championship game I would not rule out Wisconsin and Ohio State quite yet. The Big Ten is down this season and Wisconsin and Ohio State have just as good a shot as anyone to run the table in that conference. If they can do that and the big four lose a game they will find themselves in a perfect spot to slide into the championship game (and lose to whomever they play out of the big four).

The Oregon Aftermath

2007-09-17T11:19:00.000-07:00

It wasn't supposed to go like this. Fresno State was not supposed to travel to Eugene for the fourth time in the past fifteen years and come home with a loss like this. The Dogs were supposed to go to Eugene and compete with an athletic Ducks team. The Dogs were supposed to go into Eugene and show they were ready for big time college football. Instead the Dogs left Eugene wondering if they were indeed ready for that step up level of college football. Make no mistakes about this one: Oregon is a better team than our Fresno State Bulldogs. Oregon has speed, size, and the ability to take over a game right from the first snap. Oregon will force you into making mistakes and will continually put pressure on the offense to make a play. Unfortunately Fresno State was not able to come through when it mattered the most in this game. Terrible decisions by senior leaders on the Bulldogs would be what did the Dogs in. Marcus Riley's late hit on Dennis Dixon could be viewed as the momentum changing play of the game. Fresno State went from receiving a punt down 14-6 to giving up a TD only two plays later and trailing 21-6. Riley is not known for making such mistakes and I am quite sure this will not happen again this season. However, this was not the only mistake made by the Bulldogs. Fresno State turned the ball over two times, both of which nearly led to defensive TD's for the Ducks. The Dogs also made mistakes on kick return coverage and our punt returner made a terrible decision when he decided to call for a fair catch and instead decided to drill the gunner coming for the ball. Although this game went against what we had hoped for as fans I still believe this team can compete for the WAC and here is why.

1) The WAC is wide open this season - After seeing Hawaii struggle against La. Tech and Boise struggle to beat Wyoming I have to believe that Fresno State has as good a chance as anyone to win the WAC this season. The Dogs now have two weeks to prepare for La. Tech at home and the schedule is favorable for the Dogs. They have an early game in Nevada meaning the weather should not affect their play. They finish the season at NMSU where the weather also should not pose a problem. If the Dogs can figure out that you can also open the running game through the use of the pass I have a feeling the season will completely turn around. How many receivers have dropped passes this season? I have been able to count two dropped balls by receivers up to this point and after three games that is quite impressive. At the same time how well has TB played? I have to say he has come a long ways from that QB that we had absolutely no faith in last season. I am going to guarantee that Brandstater throws for over 300 yards in one of the Dogs first three WAC games.

2) Fresno State is a young inexperienced team - Believe it or not this may actually help us when going into the WAC season. Because this team is not a senior laden team they will be able to shake off the losses on the road and come home for a win. The 2007 Dogs still are quite fast and compared to the rest of the WAC they should have no problems keeping up with anyone on the field aside Hawaii.

3) We were not going to go undefeated in the first place - I truly believe that the coaching staff knew this team was not going to win every game that it played. For that reason I feel like the Dogs goal at the beginning of the season was to win the WAC. Although many of you feel that is a terrible goal for this team I on the other hand personally feel that is exactly the goal this team should have. I feel like the Dogs should aim to win the WAC in 2007 and go for it all in 2008. The Dogs will only get stronger as the season progresses (barring any other unforeseen injuries) and 2008 will offer a chance at a wonderful season for this team.

Remember that this is a relatively young team. These players will have time to grow together as a unit. Fresno State's LB's are still very strong and their secondary has done a decent job in coverage as well. Although the pass unit has not faced a team like Hawaii they are still keeping the opposing team's QB's from achieving astronomical numbers on the field. The D and O lines need a lot of help and truthfully losing two O-line starters does not make things any easier for Fresno State. Hopefully having a week off will give the Dogs time to heal and we can enter the game against La. Tech at near full strength. Fresno State will only go as far as their confidence can take them. This seems to be a team that believes they are better than they showed at Oregon. I am sure this team will put this game behind them and begin a streak in the WAC that could possibly take us to Hawaii undefeated in conference play. If that happens then I hope the fans in the city of Fresno will once again support a team that is searching for it's identity as a whole. I believe Fresno State will find it sooner than later and this will be a solid season regardless of the loss to Oregon.

BlogPoll Ballot

2007-09-17T03:27:00.000-07:00

This was a tough one to compile. The top four teams are a no-brainer. Penn State was my preseason No. 5 team and they have not done anything to tarnish their ranking per se. But the No. 6 spot? Texas did not look like the No. 6 team this week. I am still no sold on the Mountaineers. Wisconsin continues to struggle, but the Badgers are still winning. But is any one playing better than Oregon right now? No. 6 maybe a bit high, but I don't know who else to put in there. The Cal-UO game in a few weeks will really clear up the top 5-6 teams in the nation.

After No. 18, it is a crapshoot. There are about 10-15 teams that one can argue deserve top a top 25 ranking. Tulsa was a team I thought about ranking, let's see how they do against OU this week. And I am still not ready to put Virginia Tech back in the top 25.

Rank	Team	Delta
1	Southern Cal	1
2	LSU	1
3	Florida	--
4	Oklahoma	--
5	Penn State	--
6	Oregon	8
7	Rutgers	--
8	West Virginia	1
9	California	2
10	Texas	4
11	Wisconsin	1
12	Arizona State	--
13	South Carolina	--
14	Ohio State	3
15	Boston College	7
16	South Florida	--
17	Clemson	2
18	Texas A&M	5
19	Georgia Tech	11
20	Missouri	6
21	Kentucky	5
22	Alabama	4
23	Louisville	8
24	Cincinnati	2
25	Nebraska	7

Dropped Out: Tennessee (#20), Arkansas (#21), UCLA (#24), Iowa (#25).

College Football's Fan Nation

2007-09-12T13:48:00.000-07:00

by nsc

I know Fresno State has a huge game coming up this weekend with a very strong Oregon team. I know many of you Bulldog fans enjoy reading the blog because of the football related content that both MDG and I provide. I know that the blog has been a great addition to my life and I have enjoyed writing it for every Bulldog (and visiting) fan out there. However, today I want to write about something that has nothing to do with the outcome of the Oregon-Fresno State football game. I would like to touch on the topic of college football and how it has become far too important in the lives of students, alumni, and even your average fan.

This past weekend in a game between Rutgers-Navy the Navy QB took a tremendous hit from the Rutgers defense. Immediately after Rutgers fans began chanting obscenities in the stands. Now many of us will just push this aside because of the fact that they are kids and that is what kids do when they are having fun. I on the other hand think that fans of this nature are becoming the norm in college football and that is something I never want to see. I understand that a big hit is big hit but there is a respect level that should be shown for those players on the football field. I believe that respect level is being ignored by so many fans today. I will be the first to admit that I am not a fan of any of the players from Boise State or Hawaii but you will not hear any obscenities from my mouth towards players from those teams if they come into Fresno and lose. You will not hear me putting down these teams if they bomb in front of the Doghouse on national television. Two years ago Fresno was able to finally defeat the Broncos after four consecutive losses and around my seats all I could hear were chants of "You Suck D**k" and "Overrated Pieces of Sh**". I don't mind the overrated chant, that has become so common that I can completely ignore it. But when fans begin using obscenities like "you f**king suck", or "you suck d**k" to the other team I think they are crossing the line.

I may be preaching to the choir when it comes to my complaints of the fans in college football but I believe many of us are forgetting what we are there to do. We are at the stadium to cheer on our team to win. I do not go to Fresno State's games to put down fans who are coming in from other states or cities. I do not go to the stadium to see which fans are going to fight. I do not go to the games to find out if our fan base is louder than the other team we are playing. I go to Fresno State football games to watch our Bulldogs fight their hardest to win. I go to these games to watch our players give their all for the pride of the valley and the university. We are watching a team full of late teens and early 20's play their hearts out. For the most part each and every one of these players leaves it all on the field and for that effort alone we should respect what they do. What we as fans have to remember is it is only a game. If the Dogs knock off Boise this year t hat is great, but we will have to turn around and play them again next season. When visiting fans come into our stadium we should welcome them as friends and enjoy the competition against one another. We will have to travel to their world next season so we can only hope that they would treat us the very same as we treat them. What I have seen in Bulldog stadium leads me to believe that opposing fans are not going to be so accepting when I make the trip to their stadiums. Where I sit in the stadium (section 27) generally has a large contingent of visiting fans and I have seen some terrible things happen in Bulldog stadium. In the end all I can hope is that the Oregon fans treat me as well as I treated the Oregon family that sat in front of me in 2006.

We are watching a game and nothing more. If you do not invest your life into college football (which most of you shouldn't) then the outcome of the game may effect for the rest of the day and even on into the following week, but remember that game is not your life. Your family and your friends are your life. Football will come and go as we are able to watch it year after year. Some years will be far better than others. Just remember that the players and visiting fans all deserve the same amount of respect as you would want them to give you. If you are the type of person that likes to be treated like shi* then so be it. I hope that others treat you the way that you treat them but I ask those in Fresno's football world to be a bit more classy when it comes to visiting fans. If they are obnoxious and such then so be it, that has nothing to do with us. We can be great fans and let our football team do all of the talking for us. Even if the football team doesn't come through this year there will be next year and you can always count on that. I want to say thank you to those who read the blog and comment on it. For me it has been a very good experience and one I would like to continue doing for the next couple of years. I hope that everyone will continue coming to the Bulldogfootballblog to read about what is going on in the Bulldog football world.

Fresno State-Oregon: QB and RB Comparison

2007-09-11T09:31:00.000-07:00

by nsc

Fresno State and Oregon know one another all to well. They have played each other four times over the past seven seasons including the past three years (including this season). There will be very little that these teams can do on the field against one another that has not been done before. Fresno State has seen Dixon. Fresno State knows Dixon can move in the pocket and throw on the run. Fresno State knows Stewart and Johnson are top of the line RB's who can break off a big run at any point in the game. Fresno State knows that Dixon likes to run the spread offense and open up the field. On the other side of the ball Oregon knows Fresno State likes to run the ball. Oregon knows Fresno State likes to use play action to open up the passing lanes down field. Although Fresno State has an entire of stock of new players on the field they use the same base offense and defense that they always have. In other words I expect this to be another close Oregon-Fresno State battle.

Quarterbacks

Dennis Dixon - Fresno State is going to have watch out for Dixon who seems to have improved his accuracy downfield. Dixon has come out of the gates strong in 2007 much like he did in 2006 when he led Oregon to a 4-0 start. Dixon is fast and has a strong arm. Because of his speed defenses will have to watch out for Dixon when he gets out of the pocket. He is the type of QB that can break your heart on a third and five where the defense completely shuts down the passing lanes but allows Dixon to run for the first down. Dixon is going to get yards on the ground. He is also going to find a way to complete passes that many QB's cannot make. As Zagfan told me Dixon is one of the better playground QB's in college football and I cannot argue with that. Oregon's offense is diverse in the sense that they can both run and pass whenever they feel like it. It will take a tremendous effort from the Fresno State defensive line in order to put pressure on Dixon and make him throw the ball well before he wants to. If Fresno State can find a way to shut the passing lanes down and force Dixon to the middle of the field they will be in great shape heading into the decisive fourth quarter.

Tom Brandstater - A disastrous 2006 has not affected Brandstater in the very least coming in to 2007. Brandstater has begun the season in 2007 far and away better than he did this past season as he is completing 64% of his passes with four td's and one int. Brandstater seemed to gain confidence this past week against Texas A&M as the game progressed along. We all know Brandstater has the tools to be a great QB but it wasn't until this past weekend that he began to show those tools. No, Brandstater has not turned the corner completely and become a great college QB. It is going to take four or five good outings in succession for Brandstater to be considered one of the better QB's in the WAC but I am starting to believe that maybe Pat Hill really did know much more than all of us gave him credit for. Brandstater does not seem content with forcing the ball into terrible pass situations and aside his one int against A&M he has done a very good job managing the game. If Brandstater can continue to find his touch over the middle of the field and refrain from throwing into double coverage he will give Fresno State a chance to win this game Saturday.

QB Advantage - Because this game is in Autzen and Dixon can display both speed and an arm I feel Dixon has the advantage Saturday. However, the gap between Brandstater and opposing QB's seems to be getting smaller with each game that passes.

Running Backs

Oregon - Jonathan Stewart and Jeremiah Johnson lead Oregon's three headed rushing attack which also includes Dennis Dixon who leads the team in rushing yards. Because Oregon enjoys running the spread offense more often than not their RB's are given plenty of room to run up the middle of the field. Fresno State's defense has always been quite good at stopping the run up the middle but the speed of Oregon's RB's will present a problem for the Bulldogs defense regardless of how good they play. Fresno State's secondary is light years faster than it was this past season and has a strong core group that will be able to provide run support, but if Dixon, Stewart, or Johnson break one off into the open field they are as good as gone. Dixon showed his speed in week one against Houston when he broke off an 80 yard TD on the ground. Fresno State will have to try and keep Dixon in the pocket in order to be successful against the running game of Oregon's and I am not truly sure that is possible.

Fresno State - For the Bulldogs the outlook on the running game comes down to one aspect: Health. If Lonyae Miller and Ryan Matthews are healthy and play Saturday Fresno State will have a great chance with respect to gaining yards on the ground. Miller is a strong back that rarely goes down on the first hit while Matthews is a finesse back that can take a hit while possessing great vision. Matthews seems to find the hole every time he is given the ball and is very good at following his offensive line when given the ball. Fresno State will also counter with Anthony Harding who seems to be a bruiser type running back. If the Bulldogs hope for a chance to win this game they are going to have to have Miller and Matthews in the lineup. These two RB's will give the Dogs yards on the ground each time they touch the ball and will help to quiet down the raucous crowd at Autzen. Without these two Fresno State will have to rely on passing more than they would like to and the last time that happened in Autzen the Dogs went home with a 37-34 loss.

RB Advantage - The running games are very evenly matched if Matthews and Miller play, but a huge advantage to Oregon if one of these men does not suit up for the Dogs.

Tomorrow I will cover the defenses of both teams. This game could very well come down to which defense makes the last stop. Fresno State and Oregon have shown they can play defense and we shall see if that continues when they step on the field against one another.

Time to Vote Again...

2007-09-10T22:52:00.000-07:00

I haven't voted in the Blogpoll since November 13, 2006. Even so, my voting was sporadic at best last year. And I haven't voted in the first three polls of this season either...but I did place a vote for my preseason Top 16 (please ignore the No. 2, 7 and 10 teams, we all make mistakes, although FSU and VA Tech still have a chance at the ACC title) in the Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll.

Without further wait my Blogpoll ballot for this week. Applaud me, tear it apart, whatever...nsc will start to get involved and maybe he'll vote in next week's if he wants.

Rank	Team	Delta
1	LSU	25
2	Southern Cal	24
3	Florida	23
4	Oklahoma	22
5	Penn State	21
6	Texas	20
7	Rutgers	19
8	Georgia Tech	18
9	West Virginia	17
10	Wisconsin	16
11	California	15
12	Arizona State	14
13	South Carolina	13
14	Oregon	12
15	Louisville	11
16	South Florida	10
17	Ohio State	9
18	Nebraska	8
19	Clemson	7
20	Tennessee	6
21	Arkansas	5
22	Boston College	4
23	Texas A&M	3
24	UCLA	2
25	Iowa	1

Dropped Out:

Fresno State-Oregon: Can the Dogs Beat the Ducks?

2007-09-10T13:15:00.000-07:00

by nsc

The Ducks opened the season with two impressive wins. While they struggled in the first half against Houston, the Ducks were able to use their running game to blow out the Cougars in the end. This past Saturday the Ducks blew out a Michigan team in Ann Arbor that I do not feel is truly that strong. I understand that Oregon runs a very diverse offense in which they allow their QB to do pretty much whatever he wants to. I understand that Dixon is one of the better schoolyard QB's in the college football game today, but the win over Michigan does not tell me that Oregon is going to wipe the Dogs off the field. Last season Oregon started out very strong early on as well as they began the season 4-0. I don't know if this is the same type of team this year around, but once again the Ducks have begun the season hot and Fresno State will have to figure out how to shut down the option offense that Oregon likes to run if they want to win this game. The one positive is that Fresno State knows Oregon well. Fresno State has played Oregon so many times over the past seven years that they mine as well call each other's plays out before they run them. The Dogs will not be surprised by the Ducks speed or their option running game as they have seen plenty of both to know exactly what to expect.

Saturday Fresno State showed us that they have gone from a slow team who could not tackle in 2006 to a speedy team who has learned how to hit and wrap up offensive players on the outside. Oregon has the outside speed that Goodsen had for TAMU and if Fresno State's corners can wrap up the Ducks RB's this will be a very competitive game. Fresno State is going to have to be able to recuperate from it's tough loss to A&M and face another top 25 team in Oregon but this team seems to have the desire and heart to get on the field and get the job done. At the same time the Dogs main cog in the defensive line will be back on the field when Shirley is welcomed back to the team. The Dogs sorely missed Shirley on the field this past Saturday as he could have been the fix for Jovorski Lane rushing up the middle of the field. While Oregon does not have the power run game that TAMU showed us, Oregon will be faster and throws the ball far better than A&M did. Dixon is not the most consistent passer when it comes to underneath or intermediate routes, but he has a great arm on the deep ball and Fresno State will have to compensate for that with great corner play throughout the game.

My main question for this blog focuses on if the Dogs can indeed upset the Ducks and I honestly think it is within our team to do so. The Dogs seem to have the tools on both offense and defense to be able to go into Eugene and knock the Ducks off. Whether they do that or not will come down to execution and how the Dogs regroup after their hard fought loss at A&M. In the past we all know the Dogs have not responded to tough luck losses well (think back to USC in 2005 and Oregon in 2006). This year the team seems far more confident that they can get the job done than they have in the past. There is a lot of youth on this team and because of that the Dogs seem content to be on the field giving their all every single week. This is not the type of team that will sit back and rest on what has happened in the past. Instead this is a team that looks as if it can turn the page and make every week an exciting football week. Fresno State will challenge Oregon. Fresno State will not lose to the Ducks by sixteen this week as the betting line suggests. Instead I am willing to bet that this game will once again come down to the final two minutes with either the Ducks or Dogs in the lead and the opposite team driving for the win. Let's just hope the refs don't have a say in this one for either team because what I have learned is it is better to let the players decide who is the better team. Fresno State and Oregon have given us some great games in the past and I see absolutely no reason why the next game in the series will be any different.

Note - The rest of the week will be dedicated to comparing what each team has on offense, defense, and special teams. This should be a very good game. Hopefully the Dogs will come out on top in the end.

A Game for the Ages

2007-09-09T12:47:00.000-07:00

by nsc

We watch college football every Saturday for countless years. It is not often that you are treated to a game like the one Fresno State and Texas A&M gave us yesterday. The Bulldogs fell behind 19-0 at halftime only to breathe life back into the program by putting up 45 second half/overtime points. Who would have thought this offense was capable of putting up 45 points in a half, or for that matter an entire game? Yesterday Fresno State showed that in 2007 they will come to play. The Dogs may not come out victorious every single game but we should not expect that from this team. The 2007 Bulldogs are a young team led by seniors such as Riley and Clutts. Quick, tell me how many starters on offense are seniors? We do not have one senior receiver nor do we have one senior running back. We have no senior tight ends. Our QB is not a senior and some of our offensive line are not seniors either. We have a very deep offensive line anyhow so the Dogs are going to be an exciting offensive unit for at least the next two years. Our new offensive coordinator should take some of the credit as he allowed TB to throw the ball in the second half. Although Brandstater under threw Ajirotutu on the deep ball the fact is that TB actually was given the opportunity to go deep. A&M did not throw the ball deep on our secondary one time and that is because the coverage was stellar. When a game like the one we watched yesterday is played there is a lot we can take from it. Some of what we can take is good while some of it is going to be bad. Here is what I feel like we should take from the game yesterday.

Positives - For the first time in a long time I think there are far more positives from this game than negatives. First let me say the heart this team showed coming back in the second half is exactly what we want in our football team. To be down the way we were at half and come back is something that we have not seen in these Bulldogs since the USC game. However, I truly feel like this team has found what they were sorely missing with respect to confidence and this game is going to lead to many exciting wins for the Dogs in the future. If you need proof in this look no further than TB's quote in which he stated "I am sick and tired of losing the close games". I think this is the type of game that tells the Dogs they can play with the big teams once again and eventually the luck is going to go our way.

I was very impressed with the play of our QB in the second half. Brandstater made so many good throws that I thought I was watching a veteran QB with two years of experience in the Bulldogs program. Oh wait a minute, I was watching that. I think Tom came a long ways yesterday and the one play the symbolized his amazing efforts would have been the play where he was knocked down and dazed. Only a series of plays letter did Tom get in there to throw an amazing TD to Pascoe to set up a chance to tie on a two point conversion. Yes, Tom needs to slide when he runs but he has heart and he is one tough kid. Did anyone notice how good our receivers hands were yesterday? I believe Moore dropped one pass in the corner and fumbled the ball into the end zone but aside those two plays I cannot recall anyone dropping anything. Moore, Ajirotutu, Crawley, Wylie, Smith, and Pascoe caught everything thrown their way (although Smith often fumbled the ball away after the catch). Ryan Matthews (although he left the game with an injury) is the kind of RB that excites all of us to see on the field. Devon Wylie is going to be a very exciting player for the Dogs and our entire secondary played off their rockers yesterday. They allowed 79 yards passing the entire game. If Shilrey is on the field yesterday the stats don't look so absurd on the ground. Overall this team played well yesterday and it looks like our defense is going to be fast, physical, and is going to make plays for us this season. Having Riley and Jacobs in there is just refreshing as they both are around the ball every play. They will make it hard on Oregon next weekend, that much is for sure.

Negatives - Every game is going to have negatives regardless of how good one team plays. The Dogs cannot come out on offense like they did yesterday against Oregon. They need the sense that the game is on the line right from the start. If the Dogs can come out and keep the game close against Oregon we might be in for another wild ride with the Ducks. Our field goal unit has not been up to par lately. Stitser missed two field goals, one of which I really feel he should have made. He is pulling everything left and we need him to start kicking the ball through the uprights. Clifotn Smith has to realize ball security is the most important aspect of college football. If he is going to contribute he cannot fumble the ball away continuously. Brandstater cannot make a mental mistake like he did when he gave up a safety. He needs to roll out or throw the ball closer to one of our receivers. Mental mistakes will kill the dogs if they don't correct them. Overall I was pleased with this team and although Moore fumbled on the one he was trying to win the game and I cannot fault someone for extra effort.

I know many of you are disappointed that we lost this game I believe this is going to lead to many great games for the Dogs. I believe this makes us a player when it comes to the WAC. Fresno State very easily could be in the mix when we travel to NMSU for the last game of the season. Let's just hope the desire and fire stays with the Dogs this season. I personally think we are about to embark on a special ride that will culminate with one hell of a 2008 season.

Fresno State - Texas A&M: Quarterbacks

2007-09-05T07:37:00.000-07:00

by nsc

I am going to have be honest right from the start with all who read the Bulldog blog. There will be very few times this season that I give Fresno State the advantage with respect to the QB situation. I realize that many of you believe in Brandstater but until he proves that he can carry this team on the field I am not going to give the Dogs the advantage in the QB area of play. With that being said Stephen McGee comes into this game as the more accomplished QB if for nothing less than his win-loss record in games he has started at Texas A&M. Without further adieu here is the comparison of the two QB's which includes what they did last season as well:

Tom Brandstater - We all know the story with this kid. Tom has the arm. Tom has the size. Tom has the quickness. But will Tom have the confidence and state of mind to succeed in College Station? When all is said and done that is exactly what it comes down to for Brandstater and the Bulldogs. Fresno State needs a team leader and Brandstater needs to be that man on offense. Brandstater will not be the guy who throws a TD and explodes with emotion like a David Carr or Trent Dilfer did in the past. Instead he is more comparable to Billy Volek who got the job done but went about it very quietly. The city of Fresno is willing to let Brandstater be the quiet leader but only if he comes through the way the Bulldogs need him to. Looking at his performance last week Brandstater played much better than he did in 2006. Brandstater completed 16 passes in 27 attempts throwing for 199 yards and one td. He would have had two td's if Marlon Moore did not fumble the ball on the one yard line. Brandstater did fumble the ball one time but he escaped pressure countless times and racked up close to fifty yards on the ground. What Brandstater will have to work on is looking off receivers. He tends to lock on far too long and if he does that against a good defensive secondary he will not be able to succeed. A&M has a young secondary so Brandstater may be able to get away with this to begin the game but he will have to change his ways fast in order to bring the Bulldogs success. If Brandstater can limit his mistakes and remember to slide when he is on the run he will have a decent game, one that gives the Bulldogs a chance in the end.

Stephen McGee - A&M has a QB who can both throw and run the ball. In 2006 McGee threw for over 2000 yards while completing over 60% of his passes. He threw twelve td's to only two int's in 2006 and also ran for over 600 yards on the season. McGee does not have the most accurate arm as he displayed last week against Montana State only completing 10 out of 20 passes for 112 yards. However, McGee ran for 121 yards on nine carries and this is where this man could kill Fresno State. Last season Fresno State faced two mobile QB's who gave the Dogs fits on defense. Steinbeck from Washington and Dixon from Oregon caused numerous problems for the Dogs as they were able to elude the rush and create opportunities that a drop back passer would not have been able to do. McGee will be able to do the same exact thing if he does not see anything he likes when he surveys the field. McGee is used to playing in big time games. Every year A&M faces schools such as Oklahoma, Texas, and Nebraska. Playing Fresno State is not going to be intimidating in any shape or form for this young man. If the Bulldogs want to limit his success they are going to have to find a way to contain him in the backfield. The only way to do so is to blitz early and often and to make sure that McGee does not see the field the way he likes to. Very few teams have been able to limit the success of this young man but if Fresno State wants to study the tape of a team who did a great job against McGee the Dogs might want to look at the tape of the Cal game last season. McGee is going to make plays against the Dogs, it is in his nature to do so. If Fresno State can hold McGee to fifty yards rushing and under two hundred yards passing they will be in good shape in this game. It always sounds easier on a blog than it does when it comes to game time. Regardless it will be a tough task for the Dogs.

QB Advantage - Texas A&M

This Time Around Defense Alone Will Not Be Enough

2007-09-04T11:47:00.000-07:00

by NSC

Saturday night Fresno State's defense put forth an effort we as fans had not seen in a long time at this university. Limiting Sacramento State to 103 yards on offense is an amazing accomplishment for this young Bulldogs defense. However, what we as fans have to realize is that was a terrible Sacramento State team. The offense of the Hornets had been overhauled completely and the Bulldogs experienced this first hand as they were challenged few times Saturday night. Texas A&M will be a much tougher opponent who should be favored to win this game by at least two touchdowns. Fresno State will have to do far more than they did this past Saturday to leave College station with a victory. Tom Brandstater has never played in an environment like College Station will offer him. Many of the Bulldogs have never walked into a football environment such as the one they will play in next Saturday. Kyle Field dons the nickname "The Twelfth Man" for a reason. Starting tomorrow I will begin my breakdown of each team and who has the advantages on offense, defense, etc. Today I want to concentrate on what Fresno State will have to do in order to walk out of College Station with a victory.

1) Find a playmaker on offense - Fresno State put up 24 points against Sac State. I realize they should have scored somewhere between 34-38 points but the same thing could happen against A&M. Fresno State needs to utilize the tools they have on offense. Bear Pascoe needs to be a big part of this offense once again as he has the best hands on this team. Brandstater will not be able to lock on to a receiver and find success and if he continues to get nervous on third downs this team is going to experience a world of trouble. I know Tom can make the throws but I am not sure if he knows he can. He seems to lose confidence when he is on the field and when we play A&M that cannot happen. We will run the ball often because that is the staple of a Bulldog offense but against a Big 12 powerhouse we will have to be able to throw in order to have success on offense. Seji Ajirotutu (now wearing number 6), Marlin Moore, and Crawley will all have to be involved Saturday in order for the Dogs to be successful on offense.

2) Limit A&M's running game - Lane and Goodson are going to run and they are going to run hard at that. Lane is a beast with the ball and may run right through the Bulldogs defensive line. As long as the Dogs can keep the RB's in the middle of the field they will be fine. Fresno State has never been a team that can be beat with the run. They usually falter to the pass so the fact that A&M relies on the run will be a positive for Fresno State. However, running QB's tend to give the Bulldogs problems and that is exactly what McGee is for Texas A&M. He may not have the most accurate arm but if he can get out of the pocket and create havoc the Dogs will have problems figuring out whether to commit to the running QB or to stay with the receivers. Somehow the Dogs will have to find a way to keep McGee in the pocket. If they can do that the Dogs will be able to limit what A&M does on offense.

3) Create points on special teams - Fresno State will have to find a way to create great field position through punt and kick returns. Clifton Smith and Devon Wylie are going to have to show that they can make things happen in big time games such as this one. Many probably remember Fresno State's Adam Jennings creating various opportunities for the Dogs when they took on USC. In order for the Dogs to score often the returners are going to have to do the same exact thing against A&M. The better the field position the easier it will be for Brandstater to relax and understand that he will not have to go 80 yards each time the he steps on the field.

4) Last but not least, create turnovers - Fresno State cannot turn the ball over three times this weekend. Truthfully Fresno State may not be able to turn the ball over one time. It is also possible that the Bulldogs do not turn the ball over one time, create two or three turnovers and still lose the game. Playing at College Station will not be easy and Fresno State will have to be ready for what is in store for them. They need to realize the best way of beating A&M is to do exactly what Appalachian State did against Michigan last weekend: jump out to an early lead to take the crowd out of the game. If the Dogs defense can create extra opportunities for the offense and the Dogs offense can hold on to the ball this may be a much better game than I am truly expecting it to be. In the end I feel like A&M will be too strong on the road in this one. The fact that the Aggies played so poorly last week will only fuel them to come out to a much stronger start in this one. Fresno State is far better than Montana State and the Aggies know they will have to play much better than they did this past week. Unfortunately I think they will.

Texas A&M - 38
Fresno State - 17

a Win Really Just a Win?

2007-08-31T13:47:00.000-07:00

by NSC (this was supposed to be published Friday afternoon)

I want everyone who reads this blog to sit back and think about something for a minute. Fresno State embarks upon its 2007 football season tomorrow night at seven p.m (On a side note for those of you who will not be there tomorrow shame on you, it's the season opener and you need to get out there and see what this team is all about). Although we open the season against Sacramento State this game is being viewed by fans in various different aspects. Some fans are not excited about the prospects of playing a Div. 1AA school to start the season. Some fans think it is great to play a Div. 1AA school because this team needs to build some confidence going into the following two weeks at A&M and Oregon. Some fans do not care who we play and are just happy there is a college football game for the first time in nine months in the city of Fresno (I am a part of this group). While we all have our differing opinions of what this game means to the Bulldogs the question I want to ask is: If we win does it really matter how we win the game?

Tomorrow night there is a possibility that Fresno State will run the ball continuously and still win the game by at least four td's. Sacramento State is starting over in a sense as they welcome in an entirely new offense to the team. The Hornets will not have much of a chance against the Bulldogs but do you as fans expect Fresno State to throw for 300 yards? Do you expect the Dogs to run for 200 yards on the ground? Do you expect Devon Wylie or Clifton Smith to return a kick for a td? Do you expect the defense to be stellar and shut down the Hornets? What happens if the Dogs play is less than stellar? What happens if in the fourth quarter the Bulldogs find themselves winning by a mere td and our QB falters once again? Will you as fans begin to turn on the Bulldogs? What happens if the final score is 24-17 and the Dogs leave with a hard fought win? Yes the Dogs will have won the game but isn't this win so much more than just a win? When all is said and done wouldn't a win such as this type leave the fans with much to ponder in the coming week?

We as fans want the Dogs to punish the Hornets much like Boise State manhandled Weber State last night. But does the style of win truly matter? I used to worry about stats. I used to feel like it was important if our QB threw for 4,000 yards and 35 td's in a season. Today I do not care. Today all that matters is that the Bulldogs finish with a higher score than the opponent. If Fresno State scored 24 points a game and went 12-0 all that would matter is that 12-0 finish. In the end a win is never just a win. A win is always so much more than just that. A win gives us implications that maybe this team will win again next week. Sometimes a win tells us that there is no way we are going to win the following game because of the style we won the game in. Sometimes teams win and have no business doing so. In 2007 I feel like Fresno State will break even. I think this is a .500 team talent and experience wise. However, if this team wins seven to ten games I wil not care how it is done. If Brandstater throws for 150 yards and does not make the big game mistakes that he made in 2006 I will think of him as a much better QB. If Our CB's turn around while running down the field I will think of them as far superior to what we had last year. If our d-line finds a way to get pressure on the QB often I will feel like the d-line outplayed the d-line from 2006.

In the end a win is never just a win. If the Dogs win in an ugly game so many will find a way to crucify this team for the way they played. However, just remember that it does not matter if the Bulldogs win games 55-10 or 42-39, both still go down in the win column and that is the one result that matters. I do not have as positive an outlook on the season as MDG does. I do not feel this team will make a bowl game, but as I said before if they do I do not care how it happens. I do not care what they will have done to accomplsih a bowl game, I only care that they got there. I hope that most of you Bulldog fans feel the same exact way when all is said and done.

Note - Zagfan is the one who threw this idea for a blog at me. He asked me to write about the way we perceive the wins that the Bulldogs experience. He said that Mario gave him an assist on this. Thanks for the idea guys and by the way now that we play a real team in two weeks I wll start the blog up for good for quite a while starting Tuesday.

What to Expect Come September 1st

2007-08-15T11:02:00.000-07:00

It has been nearly nine months since we last witnessed a Fresno State football game at Bulldog Stadium. We have had long enough to spout off about what happened in 2006. We have had plenty of time to vent our frustrations about losing to the likes of San Jose State (yes I still believe they are an average football team at best) and Utah State. We have had three quarters of a year to put down Tom Brandstater, Pat Hill, and anyone else associated with the Bulldogs football program that has not pulled his weight. However, we have also had the past nine months to see the changes that have been made to the football program. No longer is this a Pat Hill led team that is overconfident. No longer do we have a Bulldog team that headlines the WAC. Instead in 2007 there are two top 25 teams and for the first time in as long as I can remember neither one is Fresno State. In other words we finally have the chance to start over on September 1st. I for one cannot wait for the first game this season. In year's past I have always thoroughly enjoyed the first full day of college football. However this season is going to be something different. Fresno State does not allow you to begin tailgating until four hours before the football game begins but I am here to tell you that Saturday September 1st my football day is going to start well before three pm. If everything goes to plan this is exactly how September 1st is going to go for a fan such as me.

9am - On college football Saturday I usually roll out of bed ready for any game that is being shown on television. I do not care if I am watching Southwestern Alabama A&M vs. Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the point is college football is finally back. I will wake up and turn the TV on within ten seconds of my eyes opening. My g/f will let out a loud sigh because she realizes what that symbolizes for the next four months of my life. She will stare at me and say "So it begins". From there I will get up and go out to the living room to begin watching college football on the large flat screen HD TV that I paid far too much money for. But the greatest thing about September 1st is that the Bulldogs play their first game that night. I will get the Fresno Bee that day (the only day of the year I get it) and read the previews so I can get a feel for what others think about how the day will go against Sac State.

11am - By the time I am done reading my g/f will come out and ask me why I have not showered. If you are a college football fan you know the answer is because there is some irrelevant game that has my attention and I cannot shower until halftime or the game is over. From that point I will then get up and grab my DVDs of all past Bulldog games I have and begin watching them. I have to be able to see some great Bulldog moments so I can get ready for what I am about to see only eight hours later. The MPC Bowl will get me excited because I know the Bulldogs will be back to that level of play in the next few years.

1pm - By this time due to constant nagging I will have finally showered and my friends will have headed over to watch whatever game is on. We will all reminisce about the great moments in Bulldog past and begin to talk about the 2007 season. We will ask "Can Tommy do it this year for us? Will Devon Wylie be the impact player we hope him to be? Will our defense be the rock it once was for this team? Will Ryan Mathews get as much playing time as his skills warrant? Last but not least will Pat Hill regain control of this team the way he has in years past?" The 2007 season will begin in four hours so we will all finally head out to the Bark Board tailgate to meet up with Mario (MDG), Matt (Zagfan559) and everyone else who will be down there to celebrate the greatest day of the year.

3pm - The Bulldog tailgate will begin and each and everyone of us will now become giddy because there is nothing that makes us feel better in life than watching the Bulldogs play football. We will all begin to enter the white, blue, and red lots and notice how much red we see across the stadium. The Bulldog fans will have returned with hope and loyalty in their hearts as they want players like Brandstater to succeed. 2006 left us with a bad taste but it did not make all of asinine cynical fans. We still love the Bulldogs and we still hope that these players will perform as well as we know they can. That is what makes us great fans, we hold out hope for these guys regardless of what happens.

5pm - After drinking way too much when I first arrive I will finally decide its probably a good idea to stop acting like an idiot and to eat something so I don't miss half the game in the bathroom due to being sick. The game is now less than two hours away and I will think about how great of a Saturday this has been with all of my football friends. Football games should be events that all of us Bulldog fans will remember because we get to spend time with those that share the same hopes: That one day the Bulldogs will finish 12-0.

7pm - Finally the game will begin and the Bulldogs will have a chance to begin the season 1-0. We may be playing Sac State but a win is a win. We will sit in the stands and watch this team come together for the first time in over a season and a half. We will watch Devon Wylie and Clifton Smith scare the hell out of the Hornets kick return game. We will watch Tom Brandstater finally show some faith in himself and make the passes we all know he can. We will watch our defense rise to the occasion, and we will watch the Bulldogs walk away with a win. As I said it may be a win over Sac State but it will be a win that offers the Dogs promise. We will believe that there is that chance this team can pull together and upset A&M and Oregon the following two weeks. However, when all is said and done football Saturdays will have begun and regardless of what happens with the Dogs we will have eleven more games and three more months to watch our beloved Bulldogs play football. That is why September 1st is a great day and I hope all of you enjoy it just as much as I will.

Scrimmage Notes: The QB's

2007-08-13T09:26:00.001-07:00

After watching our three QB's this past Saturday at the Bulldogs first scrimmage I obviously have my opinion of who shined with their performance and who didn't. I will be the first to say that Brandstater looked far and away better than he did at this point last season, but remember he is in his second season as our starter and third year overall. Brandstater should be outperforming the other QB's on this team with ease. He should step on the field and take command of the team as soon as his presence is known. Overall the offense looked far better than the defense this past weekend. If I were to sum up the performance of the three QB's it would go as follows:

Tom Brandstater - Tom looked comfortable in every set aside third and long. When he was forced into third and long he seemed lost on the field. I still don't feel like Brandstater goes through his progressions well, and have to say that we will not be seeing the deep ball often with him at QB. Unless the play called is a fly pattern to a speedy receiver Brandstater is not going to throw the ball deep. He often gets confused on third downs and seems to lose his place on the field. If there is a down where he tends to throw off of his back foot because he seems a bit rushed it is the third and long situations. However, I am not going to sit here and put this man down because he did finish 12 for 16 and threw for far more yards than he ever has before. Overall after our first scrimmage I was impressed with what Brandstater showed. Look, this guy is never going to be David Carr or Billy Volek. Instead he can be another Paul Pinegar but he will have to limit his mistakes and learn to progress through his receivers a bit better. Brandstater still looks as if he locks on to the receivers from time to time and in the end that is going to lead to far more mistakes than this Bulldog defense will be able to make up for. Overall I would give Brandstater a solid "B" grade for his performance as he showed us that he may be able to take this offense much further than he has in the past.

Ryan Colburn - Of the three QB's Colburn left us with the worst impression of the night. Colburn ran his reps with the second team. At times he looked very poised as if he could take over for this team if we needed him to, but other times left us thinking we may be in trouble if Tom does not get the job done as the starter. Colburn has a good arm, I cannot discount that. He also has the size to play QB for this team but more and more I feel like his high school competition is what has hindered his progression. I don't believe that coming from a Division five California school truly prepared him for what he would experience in college at a Division one school. Although Fresno State plays in the WAC I feel that Colburn is going to continue to struggle if he is put into game situations. I will give him more time to develop because hell we have given Tommy three years of second chances. As of right now I would have to say that Colburn has a lot of work to do to become the QB of this team. I think at times he gets flustered as the QB and when he rolls out he does not know what to do with the ball. As I stated earlier if Colburn is forced to play this season I do not see a positive outlook on the QB position. Overall I would give Colburn a "C" for his performance in the scrimmage.

Matt Faulkner - I did not see Faulkner practice before the Saturday scrimmage. All I knew about him was what I had seen in his high school tapes and what Mario had said about the way he practiced this past week. I expected Faulkner to look lost on offense. I expected Faulkner to have some serious problems finding open receivers. I was completely wrong. Now before I talk about how impressed I was by Faulkner I will state that he did play the third team defense. But in his defense he was working with the third team offense as well. First and foremost one aspect that Faulkner seems to have grasped well is patience. On his long TD pass to Lang down the left side Faulkner waited until Lang beat his cover man down the left side. I have to say for a kid fresh out of high school Faulkner seems to have the mentality to make it as a QB. He did not struggle with any aspect of the game. If he improved this much in one weeks time can we expect this kid to come around down the line and eventually take over this team two years from now? If he can continue to progress the way he has in the past two weeks then Faulkner one day will be the starter for this team. However that is a big if as we all know progressing over time means very little if he cannot get the job done in a game. Overall I would give Faulkner a "B+" for his performance Saturday night.

One thing you have to remember when looking at the grades I gave the three QB's is that I am grading them on my expectations for them. I expected Brandstater to blow away the defense because he has four years of knowledge with this team. I expected much more from Colburn that what I saw, and I definitely did not expect Faulkner to perform as well as he did. So while Faulkner received a better grade than Tom I do not think he necessarily outperformed Tom, he just surprised me more than Brandstater did. Tomorrow I will cover problems on defense and what will have to be done in order to make up for the tremendous loss of Lane at LB. Let me know what you thought of the QB's Saturday night. I know we won't always agree on what we saw out there, but it's good to get a feel for what everyone thought of the scrimmage and how it went.

2007: What to Expect

2007-07-25T07:31:00.000-07:00

While the Red Wave Report is busy predicting all twelve games Fresno State plays before they even step onto the field for their first game against Sac State I instead will cover what I think we can expect form this football team during the 2007 season. I will not predict scores for games nor will I break down any games until the week before. We do not know who will be playing week to week and with Fresno State injuries always play a part in what will happen with this team. So predictions will come, but the first one is still thirty days away. With 2007 right around the corner Bulldog fans have to be getting antsy to see their team back on the field for the first time in nine months. I know around my household the only topic of conversation seems to be Bulldog football and what is going to take place during this upcoming season. We all know a lot is at stake this season and if Fresno State cannot fix what went wrong in 2006 we may have another year of what ifs hanging in the balance. With that being said there is a great deal to look out for during the 2007 football season here in Fresno. Here is my list of what we should look for during the season:

1) First and foremost will this team garner the fan support they have in the past after their first down season in close to ten years? Will it take a big win on the road against either Oregon or TAMU for the Bulldogs fans to return to the stadium to watch the Dogs play? I am willing to bet that many fans will be here for the start of the season but if the Dogs do not come out on fire and pull off at least one big road win the fan support will slowly dwindle.

2) Will the addition of players such as Devon Wylie, Ryan Mathews, Chris Carter, Devin Cunningham, and Zak Hill play a big role during the 2007 season? Fresno State generally does not rely on their incoming Freshman class much but 2007 may be different. With a handful of impact players the Dogs have the option to put these men on the field of play right away. Wylie will have the opportunity to make an impact right away as will players such as Cunningham and Mathews. The Bulldogs will need all of the help they can get if they are going to compete in every game they play this season.

3) Will Tom Brandstater become the QB we all want him to be? The 2007 season unfortunately will ride on the shoulders of this man. The Bulldogs come stacked with RB's so the run game will be a plus once again. Our offensive line returns nearly in tact meaning Brandstater will have no excuses as to why he cannot get the job done. With a full stock of receivers Brandstater will have to produce from the first snap against Sac State in order to keep fans happy. Fresno State for a time period was coined QB university and we all want to see a return to the days of 300 yard passing games and four TD performances.

4) Will Pat Hill open up his game plan on offense? In years past this team has relied on the run far more than the passing game. Although our running game will be our number one strength on offense, we will not be able to solely rely on running the ball. Starting with the Colorado State game in 2006 teams began to stack the line forcing the Dogs into passing situations. Unfortunately that did not matter as Hill did not trust the QB situation enough to allow Brandstater to throw the ball. With defenses showing nine man fronts the Bulldogs continued to force the run often going three and out. In 2007 Pat is going to have to allow Mac (our new OC) to open up the offense. If Spring practice was any indication the Dogs will be a much more exciting team to watch this season.

5) Will the Bulldogs Qualify for a Bowl game? After last season I as a fan do not know what to expect from the Bulldogs in 2007. With great QB play this team could see a 9-3 season. However if Brandstater or Colburn cannot get the job done we may be sitting right on the border for bowl elgibility. There is no way to predict what will happen with this team but one thing is for sure: After the debacle that was 2006 this team will play hard and will play together. Hopefully the rest will follow suit and the Dogs will finish the season with the reward of a bowl game at the end of the road.

This season is one of the few where a question mark surrounds the team in almost every area (aside both RB's and Offensive Line). Whether this team will succeed or not will depend on the heart they show on the field. The talent is in place to get the job done. The team has all the parts to be successful we just have to hope as fans that Pat Hill can motivate this team to play up every time they step on that football field. With games against Oregon, TAMU, Kansas State, Boise State, and Hawaii the Dogs will have their work cut out for them. All I ask from the fans is to support the team regardless of what happens. Everyone has the right to question what is being done on the field if they are not happy with the team but do not abandon the Dogs during this season. The Dogs will need our support out at Sweeney field six times this season. Let's show them they should believe in themselves as much as we do in them. If we can do that this season will be anything but a bust for both the players and the fans.

The Q Brown Situation

2007-07-24T08:49:00.000-07:00

We all remember what it was like to be involved with the opposite sex in college. At first it feels great to be with someone but as time passes things tend to change. Slowly but surely you realize that maybe things are not great like you once thought they were. Eventually the relationship you thought was so strong ends and you have no idea why or how that happened. Q Brown may not have gone through the same type of situation as I explained but when it comes to affairs of the heart there has to be some type of understanding as to why men and women react they way they do. Margie Wright may not be happy with the punishment that Q Brown was given for the actions he took towards his ex g/f but she has no say in the matter and that is exactly how it should be. Had one of Margie Wright's players done the same thing they would not have been suspended for a long period of time either. This is a situation that the media will blow up every single time it occurs when in all reality it is something we as the public have very little need to know about.

Q Brown is a football player at Fresno State. As fans that gives us the right to root for him and to follow him on the football field. At the same time many of the things he does off the field will make headlines because he is one of those rare players that is supposed to come into the program and make a difference as soon as he steps on the field. Brown is fast, possessing the speed to catch Lonyae Miller out of the backfield and if anyone attended spring practices this season they would have seen the amazing shape Miller was in. However, with that being said I am not so sure it is truly our business to know that Brown made the decisions he did with respect to his ex. He seems to be a man who was confused and hurt at the same time and more often than not men make the wrong decisions when it comes to the women they care about. There are very few men out there who would not be bothered by the situation that Q Brown dealt with recently. Now I am not saying we all would have made the same decisions that Brown did. He apparently did not think things through and reacted before he thought about it. He made a mistake when he vandalized his ex's car, but he did not hurt her. Brown did not assault her and did not cause any pain to this woman. He reacted with his heart and to hear the way he is being portrayed in the public is quite bothersome. So many people have become hypocrites by saying that what Brown did was wrong and they never would have done anything like that in their lives. While I feel some have the right to say that most of us don't. Not every one of us in life has made the right decisions when it comes to the opposite sex. Sometimes we get upset and do things that are out of character. I feel like that is exactly what happened to Brown and in the end his one game suspension is all that is needed for this situation.

When we think about the punishment Q Brown received many have to remember that Brown is being punished and it has nothing to do with who we play in football. If we played K-State, Oregon, or A&M first he still would have been suspended for the first game. You have to remember this is a Pat Hill football team. When players screw up they get exactly what they deserve. How can anyone forget the way Hill handled the Kyle Young saga last season. Although Young was supposedly one of the top centers in the nation he missed the latter half of the season as Pat Hill did not think twice about suspending him. So for those who think Brown's suspension was unjust and should have been longer maybe you should ask Pat Hill why he only gave him one game. In the end I believe you will find that Hill did exactly what he felt Brown deserved. Q Brown made a mistake that hopefully one day will be forgotten. We will not look back and remember Brown for what happened this past month but instead we will try and remember him for the football player he was on the field. After all we are football fans first and foremost, isn't that what our focus should be on?

Note - After reading this blog again I realize that I make it sound like off the field performance doesn't matter. I am not saying that what a player does when he is off the field doesn't matter. I am just merely stating that players will make mistakes. Most of us in life have been given a second chance at one time or another and players are human just as we are. Sometime they need to see the error of their ways before they realize what is right and wrong.

Field Turf for a Better Future?

2007-07-23T07:53:00.000-07:00

Over the past few years every Fresno State fan has realized that the Bulldogs football field does not last past November. More often than not the Bulldogs football team is forced to play in sloppy conditions for at least half of their home schedule. The Bulldogs football team shares it's home field with the women's soccer team for any Bulldog fan that did not know this (although I am quite sure most of you realize this already). The problem that arises here is that in a city like Fresno field turf may be the best surface for the Bulldogs football team to play on. The reason we have been given as to why the Bulldogs cannot install this turf is because the women's soccer team says they cannot play on field turf. They believe field turf would lead to various injuries and are not willing to at least entertain the idea of field turf to see if it would be a positive in the long run. Now understand that I am just as much an advocate of women's rights in sports as the next guy out there, but this situation irks me far more than just about anything going on at state (yes even more than the Q-Brown situation). The truth of the matter is the Fresno State women's soccer team needs to suck it up and allow the football program to install field turf for a better future with respect to playing conditions.

First and foremost what school officials must realize is the soccer team nets the university very little if any money at all. Yes the women's soccer team is generally strong. Yes the women's soccer team has made the NCAA tourney and tends to be one of the stronger members of the WAC. Yes women have many of the same rights as men when it comes to the NCAA sports world. However, the men's football team is the breadwinner as far as sporting events at Fresno State. What many athletes and fans tend to forget is other sports (such as women's soccer) would not exist if the Bulldogs football team did not put fans in the stands. To better understand this take a look at the 2006 football season. The Bulldogs were only able to attract twenty-five thousand or so fans per game for their final two home games. Because of this the Bulldogs athletic department stated that they lost over one hundred thousand dollars on the season due to the lack of fan interest in football. In other words if the football team does not perform then the athletic department does not see a surplus of money. If this is the case then why do we have an issue with field turf in the first place? Fresno State is at the point where they need to make a choice as to which sports they are going to go all in on. Football would be the easy choice as to the sport the university should back 100%. If Pat Hill wants field turf the university should do what it takes to get the turf installed.

Some have mentioned that field turf does not cool down in the same way that natural grass would. Many worry that if the Dogs played on field turf the field would remain hot for the entire game after the sun has gone down. However, it has been explained to me that the field turf would be installed with a colling system beneath it. If this is the case then not only would field turf be a positive for playing conditions but it would also allow the players to stand on turf that has a regulated temperature for the entire game. This would also allow the Dogs to play in an environment where the heat would not pose such a problem. What we have to realize here is the cost of something such as field turf is only going to increase as time passes. Right now is the opportune time to install field turf. Right now is the time to make a move such as this. The positives in this situation far outweigh the negatives as Fresno is not exactly the best place for a natural field surface in the winter. This is not Southern California where temperatures remain the same year round. Instead we live in an area where the temperatures reach one hundred plus degrees in the summer and drop below fifty at times in the winter. The only rationale answer to playing surface is field turf and if the university does not do this sooner than later they are only hurting the players and their opportunity to play on a solid surface year round.

Roster and Depth Chart for NCAA 2008

2007-07-17T02:17:00.000-07:00

For all you NCAA 2008 Gamers, complete roster and depth chart. Sorry about the tables for the depth charts, I am too lazy to fix the glitch. Enjoy!

1 Lonyae Miller RB 5-11 215 SO Fontana, CA (Henry J. Kaiser HS)
2 Clifton Smith PR 5-8 190 SR* Fresno, CA (Edison HS)
3 Moses Harris SS 6-1 200 SO* Stockton, CA (Lincoln HS)
4 Damion Owens CB 5-11 185 SO San Leandro, CA (San Leandro HS)
5 Marlon Moore WR 6-1 180 SO* Sacramento, CA (Natomas HS)
6 Chastin West WR 6-1 210 SO* Moorpark, CA (Moorpark HS)
7 Tom Brandstater QB 6-5 220 JR* Turlock, CA (Turlock HS)
7 Jason Roberts DE 6-3 241 JR* Fresno, CA (Central High East Campus)
10 Nico Herron SLB 6-2 230 FR* San Leandro, CA (San Leandro HS)
11 Tyler Clutts DE 6-2 245 SR* Clovis, CA (Clovis HS)
13 Jason Crawley WR 6-2 185 SO* Pittsburg, CA (Pittsburg Senior HS)
15 Ryan Colburn QB 6-3 215 FR* Visalia, CA (Central Valley Christian HS)
16 Matt Christian QB 6-3 202 FR Carlsbad, CA (Carlsbad HS)
17 Jamel Hamler WR 6-1 185 FR San Leandro, CA (San Leandro HS)
19 Seyi Ajirotutu WR 6-3 207 SO* El Dorado Hills, CA (Oak Ridge HS)
19 Marvin Haynes FS 6-2 208 SO* Fresno, CA (Central High East Campus)
20 Lorne Bell SS 5-10 200 FR* Simi Valley, CA (Simi Valley HS)
20 Kyle Duffy RB 5-9 185 FR* Fresno, CA (Clovis West HS)
22 Anthony Harding RB 6-0 215 SO Turlock, CA (Pitman H S)
22 Damon Jenkins CB 5-11 196 SR* Concord, CA (De La Salle HS)
23 Jake Jorde FS 6-1 205 JR* Fallbrook, CA (Fallbrook HS)
25 Shannon Dorsey WR 6-1 205 SR* San Bernardino, CA (San Gorgonio HS)
26 Jason Blackmon CB 5-10 170 SO* Los Angeles, CA (Los Angeles HS)
27 Chris Lewis DE 6-3 250 FR* Fresno, CA (Clovis West HS)
28 A.J. Jefferson CB 6-1 180 SO Bakersfield, CA (West HS)
31 Marcus Riley WLB 6-0 220 SR* Elk Grove, CA (Elk Grove HS)
32 Quaadir Brown SLB 6-0 210 SO* Wildomar, CA (Elsinore HS)
34 Jamal Rashad RB 6-0 215 SO* Lakeview Terrace, CA
34 Trevor Shamblee SLB 6-1 220 SR* Queens, NY
35 Nick Bates LB 6-2 220 SO Madera, CA (Madera HS)
35 Kyle Zimmerman K/P 5-11 200 SR* Visalia, CA (Golden West HS)
36 Dustin Abrams K 6-0 170 FR* Los Alamitos, CA (Los Alamitos HS)
36 Mike Cheese LB 6-1 220 SO Fresno, CA (Sunnyside HS)
38 Sonny McCree TE 6-0 230 FR Fresno, CA (Edison HS)
39 Clint Stitser K 6-1 200 SR* Reno, NV (McQueen HS)
40 Nathan Adams FB 5-11 240 SR* Calaveras, CA (Calaveras HS
41 Ikenna Ike DE 6-1 255 JR* Walnut, CA (Walnut HS)
42 Robert Malone P 6-2 215 SO Riverside, CA (Matin Luther King HS)
42 Charles Tolbert DT 5-11 260 SR Reno, NV (McQueen HS)
43 Ahijah Lane MLB 6-2 240 SR* Fresno, CA (Herbert Hoover HS)
44 Frank Padilla FB 6-0 240 FR* Clovis, CA (Clovis East HS)
45 Isaac Kinter H-B 6-2 240 SO* El Dorado Hills, CA (Oak Ridge HS)
46 Will Harding CB 6-1 202 SR Turlock, CA (Turlock HS)
47 Ryan Machado WLB 6-1 225 SO* Ripon, CA (Ripon HS)
48 Reynard Camp FB 5-11 260 SO* Stockton, CA (Lincoln HS)
48 Frank Manquero LB 6-1 200 SO* Cutler, CA (Orosi HS)
49 Todd Chisom MLB 6-1 220 SO* Beverly Hills, CA (Beverly Hills HS)
49 Cameron Harris TE 6-3 255 JR* Norco, CA (Norco HS)
50 Cornell Banks DT 6-3 290 FR* Fresno, CA (Edison HS)
52 Richard Pacheco C 6-2 300 SO* Moreno Valley, CA (Canyon Springs HS)
52 Dustin Russell LB 6-0 220 FR Atwater, CA (Atw ater HS)
54 Ben Jacobs MLB 6-3 230 FR* Las Vegas, NV (Silverado HS)
55 Michael Stuart DE 6-2 245 JR* Westlake Village, CA (Westlake HS)
56 Robert Schenck LB 6-2 250 FR* San Marcos, CA (Mission Hills HS)
58 Ryan McKinley WLB 6-1 230 JR* Reno, NV (Reno HS)
60 Kenny Wiggins RT 6-8 310 FR* Elk Grove, CA (Elk Grove HS)
61 Charley Robbins LG 6-2 290 FR* Fresno, CA (Bullard HS)
62 Cole Popovich LG 6-2 295 JR* Oakhurst, CA (Yosemite HS)
65 Pierce Masse LG 6-4 300 JR San Diego, CA (Clairemont Senior HS)
69 Andrew Jackson RG 6-6 290 FR* Grass Valley, CA (Nevada Union HS)
71 Nick Wright RG 6-3 280 FR* Woodland Hills, CA (Chaminade HS)
72 Bobby Lepori LT 6-5 300 JR* Reno, NV (Bishop Manogue HS)
73 Kenny Avon RT 6-3 280 JR* Mojave, CA (Mojave Senior HS)
74 Joe Bernardi C 6-2 285 FR* Newhall, CA (William S. Hart HS)
75 Chris Piligian LT 6-6 260 SR* Newhall, CA (William S. Hart HS)
76 Adam McDowell RG 6-4 285 JR* Norco, CA (Norco HS)
77 Ryan Wendell C 6-2 290 SR Diamond Bar, CA (Diamond Bar HS)
79 Sean Yandall RT 6-5 360 JR
80 Drew Lubinsky TE 6-6 260 JR* Roseville, CA (Oakmont HS)
81 Norman Davis TE 6-6 225 SO* Hayward, CA (Hayward HS)
85 Bear Pascoe TE 6-6 265 JR* Porterville, CA (Granite Hills HS)
86 Darren Newborne WR 6-0 183 SO*
87 Cardell Turner WR 6-3 178 FR Fresno, CA (Edison HS)
88 Jesus Tapia TE 6-6 255 SR* Kingsburg, CA (Kingsburg HS)
90 Taylor Smith DE 6-3 250 FR* Clovis, CA (Buchanan HS)
94 Jon Monga DT 6-2 270 JR* Henderson, NV (Foothill HS)
95 Mark Roberts DT 6-2 290 FR* Modesto, CA (Modesto HS)
96 Wilson Ramos DT 6-4 270 SO* Woodland, CA (Woodland Senior HS)
97 Jason Shirley NT 6-5 330 SR* Fontana, CA (Henry J. Kaiser HS)

Incomings Players with no official jersey number:

Eric Brown DB 5-11 215 FR Fresno, CA (Clovis West HS)
Chris Carter DE 6-2 226 FR Fontana, CA (Henry J. Kaiser HS)
Leslie Cooper C/G 6-3 280 FR Compton, CA (Dominguez HS)
Devan Cunningham RT 6-5 342 FR Sacramento, CA (Grant Union HS)
Desia Dunn DB 5-11 175 FR
Matt Faulkner QB 6-3 190 FR Flower Mound, TX (Marcus HS)
Isaiah Green CB 5-9 170 FR Long Beach, CA (Poly HS)
Bryce Harris DT 6-6 261 FR Tulare, CA (Tulare Union HS)
Porter Hill DT 6-4 280 FR Compton, CA (Compton HS)
Zak Hill SS 6-2 190 FR Fresno, CA (Clovis West HS)
Tim Lang WR 6-0 190 FR Sacramento, CA (Grant Union HS)
Ryan Mathews RB 5-11 205 FR Bakersfield, CA (West HS)
Ryan Skidmore TE 6-6 230 FR Bakersfield, CA (East Bakersfield HS)
Jevon Stallworth CB 5-11 180 FR Sacramento, CA (Grant Unio n HS)

other players expected to contribute but have not reported:

WR Devon Wylie 5-10 175 FR Granite Bay , CA ( Granite Bay HS)
CB Jermaine Thomas 5-11 170 FR Duarte , CA ( Duarte HS)
CB Sharrod Davis 5-11 185 JR El Cajon , CA

This depth chart is a reflection of what was witnessed in spring practice and the first few weeks of summer workouts. Some potential starters are not listed due to injury, such as DE Michael Stuart and LB Trevor Shamblee.

This is not an official depth chart.

OFFENSE

Position	First Team	Second Team
Wide Receiver	#19 Seyi Ajirotutu, So.	#13 Jason Crawley, So.
Left Tackle	#72 Bobby Lepori, Jr.	#75 Chris Piligian, Sr.
Left Guard	#62 Cole Popovich, Jr.	#65 Pierce Masse, Jr.
Center	#77 Ryan Wendell, Sr.	#74 Joe Bernardi^, RFr.
Right Guard	#76 Adam McDowell, Jr.	#69 Andrew Jackson, RFr.
Right Tackle	#73 Kenny Avon, Jr.	#60 Kenny Wiggins, RFr.
Tight End	#85 Bear Pascoe, Jr.	#88 Jesus Tapia^, Sr.
Fullback	#40 Nate Adams, Sr.	#48 Reynard Camp^, So.
*Running Back	#1 Lonyae Miller, So.	#22 Anthony Harding^, So.
*WR/Slot/H-B	#6 Chastin West, So.	#25 Shannon Dorsey^, Sr.
Quarterback	#7 Tom Brandstater, Jr.	#15 Ryan Colburn, RFr.
Wide Receiver	#5 Marlon Moore, So.	#17 Jamel Hamler, Fr.

*depending on formation

DEFENSE

Position	First Team	Second Team
End	#7 Jason Roberts, So.	#41 Ikenna Ike, Jr.
Tackle	#42 Charles Tolbert, Sr.	#96 Wilson Ramos^, So.
Nose Tackle	#97 Jason Shirley, Sr.	#94 Jon Monga, Jr.
End	#11 Tyler Clutts, Sr.	#27 Chris Lewis, RFr.
Weakside LB	#31 Marcus Riley, Sr.	#47 Ryan Machado^, So.
Middle LB	#43 Ahijah Lane, Sr.	#54 Ben Jacobs^, RFr.
Strongside LB	#32 Quaadir Brown, So.	#10 Nico Herron, RFr.
Cornerback	#22 Damon Jenkins, Sr.	#4 Damion Owens, So.
Strong Safety	#3 Moses Harris, So.	#20 Lorne Bell, RFr.
Free Safety	#19 Marvin Haynes	#23 Jake Jorde, Jr.
Cornerback	#28 A.J. Jefferson, So.	#46 Will Harding^, Sr.

Special Teams

Position	First Team	Second Team
Place Kicker	#39 Clint Stitser, Sr.	#35 Kyle Zimmerman, Sr.
Kick-Off	#39 Clint Stitser, Sr.	#35 Kyle Zimmerman, Sr.
Punter	#35, Kyle Zimmerman, Sr.	#42 Robert Malone, So.
Long Snapper	#90 Greg Titiriga, Sr.	N/A
Holder	#42 Robert Malone, So.	#15 Ryan Colburn, Fr.
Kick Returner	#6 Chastin West	#2 Clifton Smith^
Punt Returner	#2 Clifton Smith, Sr.	#17 Jamel Hamler, Fr.

^notes -
#52 Richard Pacheco is the No. 2/3 C.
#61 Charley Robbins is NO. 3 LG.
#79 Sean Yandall is No. 3 RT.
#34 Jamal Rashad is the No. 3 RB.
#2 Clifton Smith is the No. 2/3 slot/H-B.
#50 Cornell Banks and #95 Mark Roberts are No. 4/5/6 DT.
#58 Ryan McKinley is the No. 3 WLB.
#49 Todd Chisom is No. 3 MLB.
#80 Drew Lubinsky is the No. 2/3 TE.
#45 Isaac Kinter is the No. 3/4 TE/FB/Slot/H-B
#44 Frank Padilla is the No. 2/3 FB.
#5 Marlon Moore is the No. 2/3 KR.
#16 Matt Christian is No. 3 QB.
#86 Darren Newborne is No. 7 WR.
Ryan Mathews is the No. 4 RB.
Chris Carter is No. 5 DE.
Sharrod Davis and Jermaine Thomas will probably be No. 3/4/5/6 CB.
Zak Hill is No. 3 SS and will probably wear #33, his number in HS.
Devan Cunningham is No. 4 RT but could move to No. 3 LT.
Devon Wylie will probably be No. 1/2/3 KR.

The Vivas Verdict, Welty, and the future of Fresno State Football

2007-07-14T12:07:00.000-07:00

Before I begin, I just want to take a moment to genuflect upon the oppertunity MDG has given me to be a guest blogger- and as such, my views are my own and may be different from someone else's.

The Vivas verdict has been an event in Fresno State athletics that has affected the entire department, and has sweeping after effects and probable outcomes that, while not certain, have a pattern that have been already been played out at other athletic programs in the Cal State system. For those of you who do not know, Lindy Vivas, formerly the woman's volleyball coach, sued Fresno State for gender discrimination after her contract was not renewed this year. After a legal battle, which included Scott Johnson thinking there were 'seven or eight' girls to a side on volleyball (there are, in fact, five), the court awarded Vivas $5.85 million in damages. This decision has made national headlines and has been seen by some as a landmark case for Title IX, as it is the largest award for an anti-gender discrimination lawsuit at a University, and has generated a lot of discussion on the barkboard and other fan sites. Some have begun to call for Weltey's resignation, while others are angry at the university and the chancellor for not standing up for the university's decision.

But there are even bigger questions than these which affect the situation, for this is a pattern which has been repeated at the majority of the universities in the Cal State system and, having visited upon Fresno State, can be expected to have massive repercussions. College football had once thrived in California at the Division I, I-AA, and II levels for decades until the Cal-NOW act was passed placing very stringent restrictions upon athletics at the CSU's in particular. Within a decade, fully half of the college football programs in California had folded, and the few that remained outside of the Pac-10 continue to be in jeopardy. Football is a sport that, while having the potential to generate generous profits, can also cost an institution a tremendous amount of money, and requires scholarships be given to as many men as 5 or 6 other sports. Many schools cannot financially support it while meeting the new guidelines. Fresno State had been fortunate that it had managed to escape many of the problems that have plagued the other schools in the system with its success on the field of play, but this legal decision has changed the financial and political situation of athletics at Fresno State. This situation, alongside similar problems in the Quaadir Brown case, implicate people from Welty to Johnson to Boeh in gender discrimination, and it seems reasonable to assume that this is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of what kind of things may happen next now that the cat is out of the bag on this.

My point is this- the mere suggestion of lawsuits brought down football programs at ten successful California universities in the last 15 years. It is not out of the question to suggest that landmark legal cases involving sweeping charges of gender discrimination and bias against Fresno State University won't result in a similar outcome for the Bulldogs than it did for our former opponents. This may be the beginning of the end of Fresno State football, and we may soon see the permanent removal of the goalposts from beloved Bulldog Stadium if we fail to pay attention to the lessons learned from the last decades.

Recruiting Board: Underrated 2008 Prospects

2007-06-15T18:29:00.000-07:00

A small sample of underrated California kids who want to be Bulldogs and/or receiving attention from Fresno State. Players featured, Napa RB Jake Croxdale, Mantenca RB Adam Espinoza, Del Campo RB Anthony Gobern, RB/LB AJ Corbella, CB Jeff Johnson, QB John Manoogian and FB Casey Cotta.

For complete highlight videos on each and related articles visit BarkBoard.com and click on FB Recruiting.

Pre-Season Publications: Lost in Translation

2007-06-05T09:06:00.000-07:00

by NSC

Every summer college football fans are forced to endure the release of pre-season publications. Each of these so called “Insider” publications releases their rankings on every single college football team in the nation. More often than not the BCS schools reap the benefits of magazines that compile these rankings. Last year you could not find one magazine that had Boise State in the top five to end the season. In 2004 there would not be one magazine that ranked Utah in their top five before the season started. Yesterday Athlon released their projections on the 2007 football season. Picking Fresno State to finish fifth in the WAC did not surprise me in the least. I understand why Athlon feels Fresno State will be no better than 7-5. Fresno State is coming off of a 4-8 season and that alone will give the Dogs very little chance to begin the season in the top half of the WAC with respect to magazine predictions. While I can’t say picking us to finish fifth surprises me I will say the way they ranked the WAC with respect to position players makes little sense at all. That is why I called this article Lost in Translation, because 90% of the time there is absolutely no way to explain why the magazines rank teams the way they do.

If you take a look at Athlon’s publication you will notice they rank the Fresno State defensive line as the second best unit in the WAC. That leads me to believe that either the WAC has the worst set of defensive lines in the nation or Athlon sees something in this defensive line that I don’t. I realize we have some skilled players on the line but that by far is the one area that completely lacks any depth and has relatively small size. Aside Shirley there isn’t a run stopper in the group and for Fresno State’s defensive line to be successful they are going to have to have some unsung players step up and make a difference. At the same time somehow this publication feels our LB’s are in the bottom three of the WAC. With players such as Riley and Brown the LB’s have more speed than they have ever possessed leading me to believe that Athlon did not do any research to garner their results. But the point I really want to get across here is the fact that the magazines and their predictions mean absolutely nothing. Each and every single one of you Fresno State fans could come up with just as valid a rankings system as a Lindy’s, Athlon’s and so on. The way to do so is grab a hat. Take the hat and place nine pieces of paper with the following names on them: Nevada, SJSU, Fresno State, Hawaii, La. Tech, Boise State, NMSU, Idaho, and Utah State. Take the hat and shake it around really well. When you are finished shaking put your hand in the hat and remove your first piece of paper. To show how awful these publications are I actually picked the WAC in the manner I just explained. Here is how the pieces of paper came out of the hat:

1) Hawaii
2) Boise State
3) Fresno State
4) San Jose State
5) La. Tech
6) Nevada
7) NMSU
8) Utah State
9) Idaho

Now take a look at that list I just published. How do most of you feel about that finish in the WAC? You know how much research I did to come up with that predicted finish? I did absolutely no research nor did I use any system to come up with this predicted order of finish. Instead I used dumb luck and I think I came up with a much better finish than Athlon did, but I will leave that up to everyone who reads the FSFB to decide.

Pre-season rankings are a joke and they always will be. The major corporations that publish these magazines do all they can to cater to the BCS schools because they know if they put USC #1 that they will make a much larger amount of money when the USC fans decide to go out and buy every magazine they can find. Although I do feel the Trojans will be the #1 school in the nation this season the same would occur if #1 were Michigan, Florida, or any other big time program from a BCS conference. To rank a school #1 before it has played a game is asinine yet that is exactly what we have become accustomed to in the college football world. Here’s an idea to counter the rankings that are released before the season begins. Let’s take those rankings and pretend they don’t exist. Let’s sit back and watch college football for the first six games of the season. When those six games are over we then take the team’s performances on the field and rank them accordingly. Two weeks later we release the first BCS rankings and go from there. Every other sport in the world ranks their teams before the season begins but that is absolutely acceptable. The reason is every other sport has a playoff to decide the champion. College football gives a team ranked #1 to begin the season a decisive edge over any other team to play in the national championship game. As long as we allow companies such as Athlon to continue ranking teams well before the season begins the college football landscape will never change. Although they placed Fresno State fifth do remember one thing about our beloved Bulldogs: We play far better as an underdog than we ever did as the favorites.

Adversity; What Truly Defines an Athlete

2007-06-01T10:52:00.000-07:00

by NSC

Last night something amazing took place in the world of the NBA. Lebron James embarked on a mission to will his team to victory in game five of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Detroit Pistons. James scored an amazing 29 of the final 30 points for the Cavaliers as they left Detroit with a 109-107 victory in double overtime. Although we have seen amazing performances in the National Basketball Association before from the likes of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and other such greats what Lebron James did last night was truly unprecedented. The reason this type of accomplishment had not be seen was due to the amount of adversity that James faced heading into this game. In game one James passed up a layup in order to give Donyell Marshall a chance to win the game with a three. In game two James could not hit the game winner putting his team in a 0-2 hole. The nation began to wonder if James could come through in the clutch. The nation began to question James under pressure and if he even wanted the ball in his hands with the game on the line. Last night with two minutes remaining the announcers of the game even went as far as to state “Will James call for the ball with the game on the line after missing his last two free throws?” The answer would be a resounding yes. You may ask what does this have to do with Fresno State Football. If you take a closer look this has everything to do with the Bulldogs and the 2007 football season.

Heading into the 2007 season Fresno State will face more adversity than they may be used to. There are so many questions about this team that have to be answered. We as fans do not know if our QB position is going to be fixed. We do not know if the defensive secondary is going to step their game up. We do not know if the defensive line is going to become that dominant force it once was. We do not know if the wide receivers are going to return to form and lead this team on the field of play. We do not know if our special teams are going to come together again to create one of the strongest units in the nation with the ability to change the outcome of the game with one play. Will the coaches step their game up and focus on what we need to do to win? Will Pat Hill open up his playbook and allow the offense more freedom within itself to create? Will Hill divert play-calling to McElwain or will he continue to call the offense the way he feels is best? With so many questions abound there is no way to ignore the adversity this team faces. However, these questions can all be answered sooner than later.

We as fans want to believe that Brandstater will become the QB we all know he can be. He has shown us that he has what could be the strongest arm to ever don a Fresno State jersey. He has shown us that he has the size and the ability to take the lead of this team. What he has not shown us is the maturity to understand the game. He has not put faith in us that he can take over a game when we so desperately need him to. Brandstater will have to face his own adversity in order to lead this team to victory this season. He has taken more abuse from fans than most players do during their career at Fresno State and he still has two seasons before he is finished. However, if Brandstater can forget what has happened in the past and face the demons that have commonly haunted him during the season he will be able to make each and every one of us forget our tragic 2006 season. Brandstater needs to realize he has an opportunity that many players take advantage of. How many times have you seen a player have a terrible season only to rebound and show that he truly is far better than the season he just showed us? It happens in the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NCAA more often than you may realize. Brandstater will have this opportunity just as the rest of the Fresno State football team will.

The defense needs to revert back to pre 2005 form. In 2004 the Bulldogs defense terrorized each team they stepped on the field with. Ask Darren Sproles of K-State what he thought of the 2004 defense. Ask Virginia what they thought of the 2004 defense. The one they will both mention is the speed that the defense was able to bring to the table. In 2007 the Bulldogs will have the opportunity to put that speed back on the field and they have to answer the call this season. The speed needs to be translated into turnovers that will help put the offense back on a short field. The adversity the defense faces is nothing new, but unlike 2006 this defense will be much more prepared to handle whatever is thrown at them due to the speed that they have added to the LB’s and secondary. The WR’s will be facing ghosts of their own as well. As Fresno State fans we realize that we need the receivers to step up and make things easier on the QB. With players such as West, Pascoe, Ajirotutu, Moore, and Crawley the Bulldogs have the players in place to give our QB that help. Whether they step up or not is up to them. Each one of these man can make a difference on the field of play, but they have to have the drive to do so.

What it all comes down to is the adversity each of these athletes face. Many players break down when the world comes down hard on them. Many athletes cannot handle the pressure of a game being put on their shoulders. The athletes of the Fresno State football team will have the opportunity to show the nation that they will not back down from whatever adversity is thrown their way. Whether 2007 is a success or not is up to the Bulldogs that step on the field of play. The only way the Bulldogs will be able to answer their adversity is to ignore what has happened in the past. The future holds an opportunity for the Bulldogs football team. The Bulldogs have a chance to start over and conquer their own adversity, and if the Bulldogs perform anywhere near how Lebron James did last night on a national stage we will all be in for a very entertaining 2007 football season.

The Fresno State Faithful

2007-05-31T09:45:00.001-07:00

by NSC

Every team in the nation has football fans. It does not matter if the team is Duke, Temple, or Florida A&M for that matter; they have fans that follow them whole heartedly. Although schools such as Temple have been dreadful for the last decade there are those fans that will never give up and are filled with eternal optimism towards their team. These are the fans that ignore the 1-11 seasons that Temple and Duke are known for having. These are the fans that will tailgate at the stadium regardless of who their team is playing. These are the fans that will walk away from a 56-0 blowout finding something positive that their team accomplished regardless of the loss. While it may not seem like it Fresno State does have fans that are exactly like these eternally optimistic fans. Whether you want to call them the kool-aid generation of fans is up to you. I tend to look at them as the Fresno State Faithful, those who will be in the Bulldogs corner regardless of what happens with the football program in 2007 and on.

Fresno State faces a tough season in 2007. As you all know 2008 does not look to be any easier with road games at UCLA, Toledo, and K-State. However, I am willing to bet there are a distinct group of fans that will turn out for every single home game regardless of what happens. I am willing to be there is that distinct group of fans who feel the Bulldogs may just upset that BCS school regardless if the Dogs are 1-4 or 4-1 at the time. To me that is what makes the Bulldog faithful so great. For every fan I know that is negative about this program there is a fan that can argue that the Dogs will be back to prominence sooner than later. For every post that I write about being realistic there is a post arguing that my realism is instead negative and I should take a lighter approach to how I feel about the Dogs in 2007. Sometimes I am bothered by responses that negate what I am trying to convey to you as fans, but when the argument is that I am being too negative it does not bother me in the least. I am happy to read replies that state other Bulldog fans are so passionate about the upcoming season and they feel I need to open my mind to the idea that we may be able to climb out of this hole that was opened up during the 2006 season. To see so many optimists makes me feel like we just may be able to turn it all around.

Does it matter if the optimists all end up being wrong about 2007? Does it matter if the Bulldog faithful are let down again throughout the course of the season? Well to those fair weather fans it will matter because we will not see them at the stadium again. To that I say good riddance and I am glad you will not attend another Bulldog home game. Fresno State needs faithful fans, not the type that will turn on you when times are tough. Being a Bulldog fan can be compared to a marriage at times. Although I am not married I do realize that marriage can be quite tough at times and you may even be let down by your significant other. But regardless of what happens you do not turn your back on your significant other, you stay there through thick and thin and make it work. Because you stay and make it work you are also pleasantly surprised at times by what your significant other will do for you and it is times such as these that make your drive to stay together all the more worth it. Fresno State at times does the very same thing to their fans. They let you down when they go on the road and drop a game against lowly Utah State. However, the Dogs also make you proud when they travel to stadiums such as Wisconsin and walk away with a victory. If you fight long enough eventually you will be rewarded and that is why it is worth it to stick around and watch the Bulldogs.

Fresno State football is a tough sport to love. However there are many of you out there that love this football team more than just about anything in your life. You will be there for the Bulldogs regardless of what our record in 2007 is. If the Dogs churn out another disappointing season you may show your displeasure but you will be right back here for 2008 feeling optimistic because a new season has begun. Most of my blogs concentrate on the Bulldogs football players and coaching. Very few of my blogs concentrate on the wonderful fans this university has. Today I feel like letting those faithful know that it is you that help make Bulldogs football so wonderful. Without you Bulldog football would just be another sport in the city of Fresno. With you Bulldog football is just another sport in Fresno. The only difference is you make it matter. Thank you for your time and dedication to this football team, one day you will all be rewarded with a wonderful season, if for no other reason than because you all deserve it.